Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 9 May 1995

Vol. 452 No. 5

Written Answers. - Illegal Substances Abuse.

Eoin Ryan

Ceist:

111 Mr. E. Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry further to his reply to Parliamentary Question No. 38 of 28 March 1995, if there have been any further convictions under the Animal Remedies Act, 1993; if there has been any addition to the 25 cases under the Act that have been referred to the office of the Chief State Solicitor and the 30 cases under investigation by his Department; the amount and types of meat affected; if he will give figures in terms of both money and weight; if he will confirm and comment on media reports that a new and less easily detectable type of angel dust was found in meat to the value of nearly £100,000 seized at a meat plant in County Kildare on 24 April 1995; the numbers and ranks of personnel assigned to his Department's special taskforce on this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8206/95]

Pat Upton

Ceist:

116 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the chemical names of the illegal drugs found in a recent check on a number of carcases in a Leinster meat plant early in the week commencing the 23 April 1995; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8302/95]

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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 111 and 116 together.

There have been no convictions for offences under the Animal Remedies Act, 1993, since 28 March 1995. Three further cases have been referred to the Office of the Chief State Solicitor and 31 cases are currently being investigated by my Department. The weight of meat condemned for the presence of illegal growth promoters is not available but such meat has no monetary value. The special unit in my Department to enforce veterinary medicines legislation has 11 personnel dedicated to this task, as follows — one superintending veterinary inspector, three veterinary inspectors, two superintending agricultural officers and five agricultural officers.

The analysis of samples from carcases recently examined for the presence of illegal growth promoters is not complete. I am advised that 17B Oestradiol, 19 Nortestosterone, Oestrone and Nortestosterone Decanoate are the substances which have been detected to date. I am further advised that no "new" drug or new formulation of an existing drug has been encountered.