asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state what duties are now discharged by the inspectors appointed under the Slaughter of Cattle and Sheep Act, and how many inspectors are there, and are they pensionable officials.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Slaughter of Cattle and Sheep Act Inspectors.
There are 141 inspectors, supervisors and assistant supervisors at present employed under the Slaughter of Cattle and Sheep Act. This staff is non-pensionable, except five officers, who belong to the permanent pensionable staff of the Department and who have been allocated to this work. The duties performed by this staff consist in assisting in the carrying out of the provisions of the Slaughter of Cattle and Sheep Acts.
Will the Minister give us any further particulars of what these men are actually doing, seeing that the primary purpose of the appointment of these men was to secure that the minimum price fixed by the Minister would be paid in the fairs? Since the minimum price has been abolished what functions have they to carry out?
Dr. Ryan
They have to carry out the inspection of premises under the Act for the prevention of the slaughter of cattle or sheep in unregistered premises; they have to check the quantity and quality of the beef paid for under the scheme, and also they have the collection of cows from the factories at Roscrea and Waterford.
Would not expense be saved to local authorities by lending some of these men to hunt the warble fly?