Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 19 February 2004
111 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the numbers and locations of centres for geno testing sheep; the plans to expand the number of locations involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5423/04]
View answerFour private laboratories have applied for approval to provide a genotyping service under the national genotyping programme. The service provided will facilitate the issuing by the Department of individual NGP certificates in respect of sheep genotyped by NGP approved laboratories.
The process of evaluating the applications received is now at an advanced stage and I expect to be in a position to announce within the coming weeks details of the laboratories which ultimately receive NGP approval. Approved status for the purposes of the NGP will be granted for a period of 12 months, at the end of which it will be open to any approved laboratory to apply for renewal of its approved status for a further 12 month period and to any other interested laboratory to make initial application for NGP approval.
