Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 7 Dec 2000

Vol. 527 No. 5

Written Answers. - Food Industry.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

132 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if, in view of the importance of consumer confidence in pork and bacon products, he will list each feedmill or home compounder licensed to feed meat and bonemeal to pigs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29154/00]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

My Department is not in a position to release this information at present as the Office of the Information Commissioner requested my Department on 21 September 1999 to ensure that no records are released pending the outcome of a review by that office.

Eamon Gilmore

Ceist:

133 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the steps that are taken by his Department to monitor compliance with any terms and conditions attached to licences issued for the feeding of meat and bonemeal to pigs; the frequency such farms or premises are inspected by his Department; the number of occasions on which the premises of a person (details supplied) in County Cork has been inspected; the last occasion on which it was inspected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29155/00]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (Mr. Walsh)

Licences to purchase and to incorporate mammalian meat and bonemeal are issued on an annual basis to home compounders in respect of the manufacture of pig rations containing this material. Such rations can be fed only to the compounders own pigs on the premises specified on the licences issued.

All pig holdings seeking to use mammalian meat and bonemeal are visited by my Department and must be approved prior to initial supply. Such farms are also subject to ongoing check ing following approval and may be refused/withdrawn where my Department is not satisfied that the conditions of the Diseases of Animals (BSE) (No. 2) Order, 1996, are being or will be observed.

In addition to regular inspection of the premises, audits of the use and of the mammalian meat and bonemeal purchased are undertaken. No central record of such inspections carried out by the district veterinary offices concerned is maintained as such inspections are invariably combined with other duties concerning disease prevention-eradication-welfare-export, certification etc.

In the case of the specific premises in Cork, there were in the region of 30 inspections-audits carried out specifically in relation to meat and bonemeal since 1996. Recent inspections were on 15 November and 19 November 2000.