Chris Flood
Ceist:33 Mr. Flood asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the current status of negotiations at his Department for the landfilling of offal. [10625/96]
Written Answers. - Rendering Industry.
Matt Brennan
Ceist:45 Mr. M. Brennan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the further plans, if any, he has to sustain rendering plants in view of the expiry of the six week subsidy to the rendering industry on 21 May 1996. [10626/96]
Peadar Clohessy
Ceist:48 Mr. Clohessy asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the arrangements, if any, he has made to ensure that animal offal can be safely collected and disposed of without disruption of beef slaughtering or a reduction in beef prices to producers; the discussions, if any, he has conducted with interested parties in this respect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10600/96]
Brendan Smith
Ceist:109 Mr. B. Smith asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the measures, if any, he will take as a matter of urgency to assist the rendering industry in view of its crucial importance to the entire beef industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10703/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 33, 45, 48 and 109 together.
Arrangements for the collection, treatment and disposal of livestock offal are a commercial matter to be determined between the parties directly involved, processors and the rendering industry which produces meat and bonemeal.
As part of the memorandum of understanding concluded with the Federation of Irish Renderers on 10 April, I agreed to provide a temporary subsidy on the production and storage of meat and bonemeal. That subsidy expired on 21 May.
I understand that, arising from discussions between meat processors and the Federation of Irish Renderers, agreement has been reached on a commercial solution which will enable offal to be collected and the meat industry to function normally.
I do not see any necessity in the current circumstances for the non-commercial disposal of meat and bonemeal. However, technical discussions have been held with a number of Departments and agencies in regard to various possible non-commercial uses for meat and bonemeal. These technical discussions are ongoing.