Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
2079. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views regarding the reports of thousands of tonnes of unaccounted for poultry litter in the State; the reason Teagasc is not investigating it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40236/22]
View answerI understand that the reports referred to concern planning applications in Northern Ireland and separately dispatches of poultry litter from Northern Ireland to Ireland .
In respect of the latter which relates to matters in Ireland, Article 48 of Regulation (EC) No. 1069/2009 sets out the controls that must be in place for the dispatch of animal by-products, including animal manure, between Member States. Under Article 48 any operator in Northern Ireland who wishes to dispatch animal manure to Ireland must apply to my Department for authorisation.
Each operator must comply with specific conditions and provide a certificate signed by a veterinarian from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland attesting that the poultry litter comes from a farm that is free of disease.
All such consignments are recorded on the EU Trade Control and Expert System for traceability. The latest figures available from this system do not indicate an increase in dispatches of animal manure from Northern Ireland.
In relation to the former matter concerning planning controls in Northern Ireland, I am informed that Teagasc received a query from a member of the public in early 2021 regarding a number of
planning applications to the authorities in Northern Ireland from poultry farms that included letters purportedly issued by Teagasc.
In response Teagasc conducted a detailed investigation at the time in relation to these files and letters. This investigation found a number of cases where letters contained in planning files in Northern Ireland that purported to be issued by Teagasc advisors to farmer clients had been falsified. Teagasc alerted this matter to the planning authorities in Northern Ireland at the time, as well as An Garda Síochána. Teagasc also continues to respond to queries on such letters contained in planning files when received from Northern Ireland planning authorities.
