Vol. 530 No. 5
50 Mr. D. Moynihan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the progress in relation to introducing mechanised grading for beef carcasses; the feedback received from the EU Commission in relation to the grading trial for beef cattle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3873/01]
The results of mechanical grading trials carried out in Ireland in August 1999 and March 2000 were communicated to the EU Commission in March 2000 and were the subject of discussion at beef management committee meetings in March and April 2000.
The consensus of opinion was that the trial had been carried out in a highly professional manner. While the three machines involved achieved high accuracy results in relation to conformation and meat content of the carcasses they failed to attain the standards proposed by the EU Commission in its draft regulation setting standards to be met by these machines prior to their approval for classification purposes. Following discussion in the beef management committee, the EU agreed to carry out a pilot test to examine whether these standards were practicable.
Germany was selected as the venue for the pilot test which was to be held at the end of November 2000. An official from my Department was to have taken part in the trial. Unfortunately, because of the BSE crisis in Germany it was not possible to proceed with the trial. It is the intention of the Commission to proceed with the trial as soon as the BSE situation allows. As soon as this work is completed and the Commission sets standards for approval of mechanical systems, it is my intention to proceed with an authorisation trial, which will hopefully lead to the early introduction of mechanical beef classification in Ireland.
