John O'Donoghue
Ceist:71 Mr. O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline the EC derogations which are going to be granted to domestic slaughterhouses.
Written Answers. - Domestic Slaughterhouses.
Council Directive 91/497/EEC of 29 July 1991 lays down the standards for the production and marketing of fresh meat in the Community.
Provision was made in the directive for permanent derogation from some structural requirements for abattoirs in operation as at 31 December 1991 handling a maximum of 600 livestock units per year. These abattoirs will have to comply with the conditions for approval of low-capacity abattoirs contained in the directive. Equivalent conditions are already contained in the Abattoirs Act, 1988.
A special provision was made in the directive for the agreed numbers to be increased to 1,000 livestock units per year where at 1 July 1991 abattoirs are involved in a restructuring programme in the context of a national plan. Abattoirs being upgraded under the Abattoirs Act fall into this category.
Under Council Directive 91/498/EEC of 29 July 1991 abattoirs unable to comply with all of the specific rules laid down in Directive 91/497 by 1 January 1993 may receive temporary derogations from certain structural requirements of the directive up to 31 December 1995.
An application for a derogation together with a work plan for completion must be submitted to my Department by 1 April 1992.