James Bannon
Question:177. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine when a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath will receive their agricultural entitlements for 2011 and 2012. [7672/13]
View answerAgriculture Schemes Payments
Questions (177)
Written answers
Full payment in respect of applications received under the 2011 Single Payment, Disadvantaged Areas and Grassland Sheep schemes issued directly to the bank account of the person named. Payment in respect of applications received under the 2012 Single Payment and Disadvantaged Areas scheme issued on the 24th December 2012 to the estate of the deceased. No payment was due under the Grassland Sheep Scheme in 2012 as there were no breeding ewes identified on the Sheep Census Form.
On the 18th January 2013 and again on the 30th January 2013, officials from my department informed the legal representatives of the person named of the requirement for a transfer of the herd number and the single payment entitlements to the person named to be effected for the 2013 scheme year.
Disadvantaged Areas Scheme Payments
Questions (178)
James Bannon
Question:178. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding a farm and disadvantaged area payments which are now overdue in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7673/13]
View answerWritten answers
During processing of the SPS application received from the person named, an issue arose in relation to the reference area of a land parcel declared. That issue was resolved in early January 2013 and the full payments due issued on 11th January 2013, in respect of the Disadvantaged Areas Scheme and on 3rd January 2013, in respect of the Single Payment Scheme.
Horse Slaughtering Data
Questions (179, 182)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:179. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will indicate the number of horses slaughtered in Ireland in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012; and the total tonnage of horse meat produced each year in the same period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7693/13]
View answerThomas P. Broughan
Question:182. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the tonnage of horse meat exported in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012; and if he will indicate the countries the horse meat was exported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7696/13]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 179 and 182 together.
The number of horses slaughtered in plants approved by my Department in each of the years since 2008 was as follows:
|
2008 |
2,002 |
|
2009 |
3,220 |
|
2010 |
7,296 |
|
2011 |
12,575 |
|
2012 |
11,402 |
I understand from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland that the following numbers of horses were slaughtered in local authority approved slaughter plants since 2008:
|
2008 |
Nil |
|
2009 |
1,027 |
|
2010 |
2,494 |
|
2011 |
4,985 |
|
2012 |
12,960 |
Data is not collected by my Department on the total tonnages of horsemeat produced or exported each year.
Horse Population Census
Questions (180)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:180. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department has carried out a census of the overall number of horses here including thoroughbreds in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012; if he will indicate the way the numbers were estimated and if new horse registration arrangements are in operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7694/13]
View answerWritten answers
My Department has not undertaken a census of horses. As stated in my reply to the Deputy on 22 January, the Central Statistics Office has recently published a Census of Agriculture for 2010, which shows the number of horses in the country returned at 106,020 of which 37,513 were thoroughbred horses and ponies.
However, the most recent estimate of the number of horses in Ireland is provided by a report commissioned by Horse Sport Ireland and conducted by UCD on the economic contribution of the Sport Horse industry to the Irish economy. This report estimated the total horse population in Ireland at approximately 180,000. These figures were compiled using a number of sources, such as Central Statistics Office data, the records of approved horse registration organisations and surveys of a wide range of parties in the industry itself.
EU legislation on the identification of equines, which was transposed into national legislation in 2011 via S.I. No. 357 of 2011, provides that (i) equine animals registered after July 2009 must be identified with a passport and a microchip and (ii) if an equine animal has not been identified within six months of the date of its birth, or by the 31st of December in the year of its birth, whichever date occurs later, it cannot be admitted to the food chain. This legislation was amended in September 2012 ( S.I. 371 of 2012) in order to strengthen the powers of the Minister in relation to approval of an issuing body for equine passports and prosecutions in relation to equine identification and to make it an offence to forge or tamper with an equine passport.
My Department of Agriculture is also developing a central database of horses which will involve migration of selected data from Passport Issuing Organisations to the Department. The database will be populated by information provided from the databases maintained by the Passport Issuing Organisations, by the Department from records obtained at slaughter plants and knackeries and by Local Authority Veterinary Inspectors in respect of records maintained at appropriate slaughter plants. The intention is that this database will be used at abattoirs to verify the authenticity of the passport for the equine presented and to record its date of slaughter.
Food Imports
Questions (181, 186)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:181. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of beef, poultry, lamb and other meat products that were imported into Ireland in 2008, 2009, 2010; 2011, and 2012; if he will also indicate the reason for these levels of imports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7695/13]
View answer
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:186. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason, in a country that produces an abundance of excellent beef, we are importing beef from other countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7751/13]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 181 and 186 together.
It is assumed that the Deputies are referring to goods originating outside Ireland whether as a result of trade within the EU single market or imports sourced from non-EU countries. In either case, the importation of meat and meat products into Ireland is a function of supply and demand dynamics, both locally and generally, and is influenced by factors which are variable over time such as price relativities, currency exchange rates and consumer preferences.
The statistics show that Ireland is a major meat trader and also a significant beneficiary of free trade in food products, with total meat and livestock exports generating estimated earnings of almost €3 billion in 2012.
Data on volume imports of various meats from 2008 to 2012 is presented hereunder.
Meat Imports – Tonnes (000’s) cwe
|
Category |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 (Jan. – Nov.) |
|
Beef |
33 |
34 |
40 |
46 |
36 |
|
Pigmeat |
76 |
74 |
73 |
79 |
75 |
|
Poultrymeat |
76 |
75 |
80 |
86 |
91 |
|
Sheepmeat |
3 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
Other Meat Products |
15 |
12 |
13 |
12 |
11 |
Source: CSO
Beef
Around 36,000 tonnes of beef were imported into Ireland last year with over 28,000 tonnes (79%) came from UK; of which almost 26,000 tonnes (72%) was from Great Britain and over 2,700 tonnes (7+%) from Northern Ireland. The majority of these imports from the UK consisted of cow carcasses for further processing before being re-exported as primal joints. Brazil, Uruguay and the USA are the principal non-EU suppliers of beef into Ireland. Processors import beef from a range of countries in order to produce specific products for the export market at particular price points.
It is also worth pointing out that import figures are relatively small when compared to the quantity of beef exports. For example in 2012, Ireland exported over 412,000 tonnes of beef – virtually all of it to other EU member states – which was nearly 12 times as much as it imported.
Pigmeat
In 2012, almost 75,000 tonnes of pigmeat was imported into Ireland. Around 29,000 tonnes (38%) of imports came from the UK with 4 other member states – Denmark, France, Germany and the Netherlands – cumulatively accounting for some 39,000 tonnes (52%) of volume. Pigmeat imports are destined for secondary processors, wholesale and foodservice operators. Ireland has an import requirement for loin and leg primal because domestic consumers’ preference for loin (pork chops, bacon, rashers) and leg (cooked ham, gammons) differs from that in other European countries where more processed meats are preferred. The price differential between Irish and imported loins is approximately 20%. There is little difference in the price of indigenous versus imported legs but supply is an issue.
Poultrymeat
Ireland imports significant volumes of poultrymeat annually; namely broiler, turkey and duck. Broiler meat in the form of chicken breast meat (frozen / chilled / cooked) comes principally from Great Britain, the Netherlands, France, Germany and also international markets such as Thailand and Brazil. The product is used for wholesale, foodservice and further manufacturing. Turkey breast meat and crowns are imported mainly from Italy and Germany for cooked meats manufacturing and for catering / foodservice outlets. Whole turkeys, imported from Italy for the Christmas period, are supplied through the wholesale and butcher sectors. Typical cost differentials for imported versus domestic chicken and turkey can amount to as much as 30%.
Sheepmeat
Of the 3,467 tonnes of sheepmeat imported into the Irish market last year, almost 3,300 tonnes (94%) came from the UK. Imports, which peaked during the February to June period, were mainly British hoggets destined for food manufacturing and, to a lesser extent, foodservice. Imports from non-EU countries, primarily frozen product from New Zealand, were negligible at 83 tonnes. At present, Irish lamb commands a strong position in the domestic retail sector. The use of the Bord Bia Quality logo on-pack is growing in popularity since its launch on lamb in 2008. According to Bord Bia retail store audits, the percentage of facings of lamb product with the Quality Mark has risen from 55% to 84% in the 2 years from December 2010.
Other Meat Products
Products in this miscellaneous category, which includes offal, are imported mainly from the UK (47%) and the Netherlands (23%).
Conclusion
Ireland is a small, open economy that is hugely dependant on international trade flows in products and services. The above data demonstrate the extent to which the beef and other meat industries are reliant on trade with our EU partners and, by extension, the importance of that trade to the national economy.
Question No. 182 answered with Question No. 179.
Equine Exports
Questions (183)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:183. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of horses and ponies including thoroughbreds that were exported in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7697/13]
View answerWritten answers
The number of horses certified for export by my Department during the years in question is as set out in the following table.
|
YEAR |
NO. OF HORSES |
|
2008 |
2229 |
|
2009 |
2702 |
|
2010 |
2306 |
|
2011 |
2557 |
|
2012 |
2369 |
The movement of equidae within Member States of the EU is subject to harmonised rules as outlined in Council Directive 2009/156/EC to prevent the spread of disease. However, in view of the fact that they have broadly similar animal health standards in relation to equidae, Ireland, the United Kingdom and France have availed of a derogation in the Directive to permit trade in registered equidae, other than those going for slaughter, to move between these countries without the prior inspection and certification. This is known as the Tripartite Agreement (TPA) and it has been in existence for many years and commits members to notify each other of confirmed cases of listed diseases that would alter the equivalence status. Given the integrated, all-island nature of the equine industry in Ireland the TPA has particular benefits for the equine sector here. Furthermore, the operation of the TPA is reviewed regularly by the signatory countries to ensure its effectiveness and deal with any strategic or operational matters of concern. The records available to my Department would indicate that approximately 16,000 horses are moved from Ireland annually under this arrangement. These are in addition to the numbers set out in the table above.
Animal Feedstuffs
Questions (184)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:184. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proportion of horse meat goes into the production of prepared meat dishes and nuts for dogs and other prepared foods sold for dogs through supermarkets and shops; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7698/13]
View answerWritten answers
The manufacture of pet food in Ireland is governed by EU regulations relating to animal by-products (ABPs), which provide that this product must be processed in a plant approved by the competent authority and to the parameters specified in the legislation.
The regulations permit the manufacture of pet food from specified ABPs, including ABPs which are fit for human consumption but are not intended for human consumption for commercial or other reasons. I understand that none of the pet food manufacturers approved by my Department under the EU regulations uses horsemeat as an ingredient in the manufacture of their pet food product.