Animal Slaughtering Standards

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 March 2019

Tuesday, 12 March 2019

Questions (512)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Question:

512. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 239 of 6 March 2019, when a factory must revert to using an approved manual grader; if there is a protocol for a farmer to follow if unhappy with the grade awarded to an animal which he or she sent to slaughter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12413/19]

Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Unlike mechanical grading, it is open to a farmer to appeal a manual grading of the carcass. Manual classifiers are factory employees and are licensed to classify by my Department under the EU legislation.  Therefore a farmer looking to make such an appeal or to have the grade rechecked should contact the factory in question.