Vol. 488 No. 4
77 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food whether the computerised cattle movement database has been established; if not, the reason for this; and the date it is proposed to have the system in operation. [6119/98]
78 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the setting up and annual running costs of the computerised cattle movement database; its location; the expected throughput; the number of staff required to run the system; and the way in which the cost of the system will be met. [6120/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 77 and 78 together.
A computerised database entitled CMMS (Cattle Movement Monitoring System) is being established as part of the national beef assurance scheme (NBAS). This is a major computer system development which, when implemented, will involve the notification to the Department of all bovine animal events, such as birth, intra-herd transfer, movement through a mart, slaughter, export, for entry on to the database.
A birth notification and registration system is already operational. Work is continuing on creating and putting into operation the other parts of CMMS. The aim is to maximise the use of electronic means of data transfer particularly in relation to marts, meat factories, abattoirs and live export points. Over the coming months the intention is to have communication links and PCs installed at those locations and piloting, training and implementation will be tackled.
As regards inter-farm movements of animals, it is the intention to require both of the herdowners involved to report the movement details. The Department is in the process of assessing tenders with a view to appointing a commercial agency to operate the farm movement notification arrangements, including the recording of the data ready for entry to the CMMS.
Side by side with these arrangements the CMMS computer system itself has to be developed and implemented. The system will be delivered on a mainframe computer located at the Department's headquarters. The principal development task is the creation of the necessary computer programmes. In that regard the Department is about to commence an EU request for tenders procedure for the delivery of the computer programmes. It is estimated that the computer programmes will be delivered to the Department by late 1998. Implementation will commence as and when the computer programmes are available and the aim is to have CMMS operational by year's end.
The throughput of the system will be determined by the rate of animal births, slaughtering and exports, and the many millions of annual movements between herds and via marts. In addition, the system will include animal location information at time of premium or headage application.
