Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 10 Mar 1992

Vol. 417 No. 1

Written Answers. - Abattoirs Act, 1988.

Theresa Ahearn

Ceist:

262 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if, in view of the geographic spread and the large number of abattoirs in County Tipperary, which will necessitate the employment of three full-time veterinary inspectors, in order to implement the enormous inspection requirements of the Abattoirs Act, additional financial resources will be made available to the South Tipperary County Council.

Michael Ferris

Ceist:

291 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he intends to amend the regulations under the Abattoirs Act, 1988 to enable local authorities to carry out their statutory functions in the interest of public health; and if he will make a statement on the matter, having regard to the serious financial imposition on local authority funding.

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. Walsh)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 262 and 291 together.

The Abattoirs Act, 1988, provides for the appointment of whole-time veterinary inspectors by local authorities to carry out the functions of veterinary examination and health marking of meat fit for human consumption.

Part V of the Act which provides for the collection of fees by the local authorities for these services cannot be commenced until regulations are introduced to provide for theante and post mortem examinations of animals.

Since the drafting of these complex regulations commenced they have had to be redrafted on two occasions to take account of the extension of EC standards to meat being produced for sale on the domestic market. The regulations are now in final form and will be introduced shortly.

There are no funds available to my Department to provide financial assistance to local authorities for this purpose over and above the revenue they will receive from the collection of fees.