Vol. 470 No. 5
40 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the total annual cost of operating the national food and livestock inspectorate under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19433/96]
The total salary costs for professional and technical staff employed by my Department in the food and livestock areas amounted to approximately £41 million in 1995.
This included the following services: bovine TB and brucellosis eradication; meat inspection and carcase classification at meat plants; dairy produce and milk checking; potato inspection; poultry and egg inspection; feeding stuffs and fertilisers; control of pesticides; cereals and milling; seed production; veterinary research; horticulture; livestock and headage schemes; crops, including seed certification schemes; dairy production and trade; integrated controls.
