Vol. 498 No. 5
144 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the degree to which a service is now available for the collection and disposal of dead animals; the degree to which animal offal is treated under controlled conditions to ensure minimum risk of the spread of any animal diseases; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28116/98]
There are currently 46 knackeries in this country licensed by my Department to collect and dispose of fallen animals. Animal offal produced in this country is processed depending on its nature either in accordance with existing EU standards as set down in the European Communities (Processing of Mammalian Animal Waste) Regulations, 1998 (S. I. No. 62 of 1998) or under the Diseases of Animals (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy) (Specified Risk Material' Order 1997 (S. I. No. 80 of 1997).
