Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 28 Mar 1995

Vol. 451 No. 2

Written Answers. - Veterinary Inspection Costs.

Hugh Byrne

Ceist:

28 Mr. H. Byrne asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry in view of his remarks of Thursday 16 February 1995, in reply to a parliamentary question from Deputy Hugh Byrne stating that his Department's veterinary costs are excessive and unjustifiable, the per unit cost to his Department of veterinary inspection at meat factories for cattle, sheep and pigs; if he will provide in tabular form a complete account of all veterinary costs to his Department in each of the years 1992 to 1994; the costs expected in 1995; and the steps, if any, he is taking to curb such costs. [6364/95]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

It is difficult to quantify precisely the costs of the veterinary inspection at meat plants because staff employed in this service undertake the functions of meat inspection and the implementation of controls on market support activities, disease eradication and premium schemes. Therefore, it is not possible to isolate the cost of the meat inspection service on the basis requested. I can, however, give the unit cost of the entire veterinary service provided by my Department to meat factories. These costs were as follows in 1994: Cattle/sheep — £8.20 per livestock unit; Pigs — £1.45 per head.

Producers contribute to the meat inspection element of the costs. The revenue collected from the meat factories in respect of meat inspection fees for 1994 represented a unit cost of £3.30 per livestock unit for cattle and sheep and £1.01 per head for pigs.

My Department has recently put a package of measures to the meat industry in relation to the future system for collecting meat inspection charges. This package includes the employment of independent consultants to examine the efficiency of the meat inspection service with a view to reducing its cost and isolating more precisely the costs attributable to departmental staff employed on meat inspection activities.

The information requested in respect of all the veterinary costs to my Department in each of the years 1992 to 1994 and the forecast for 1995 is outlined in the following tabular statement.

Veterinary Inspection/Market Support Control Costs at Meat Plants (including Poultry meat plants)

	£m
1992	19.57
1993	21.10
1994	22.16
1995 (Forecast)	22.60