Vol. 488 No. 4
80 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the way in which he can guarantee that animals infected with BSE are not entering the human food chain; and if truck loads of smuggled and falsely documented cattle of Northern Ireland origin are being accepted by meat plants in the Republic of Ireland. [6127/98]
All cattle presented for slaugther for human consumption at meat plants or abattoirs must undergo ante-mortem inspection by Department veterinary inspectors to ensure that they do not manifest conditions which make them unfit for slaughter.
As far as allegations of cattle smuggling are concerned, I have previously outlined to the Deputy in reply to Parliamentary Questions No. 34 of 26 February 1998, the measures in place in relation to the enforcement of the ban on cattle imports from the United Kingdom.
