Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 28 Feb 2001

Vol. 531 No. 4

Written Answers. - Food Safety.

Willie Penrose

Ceist:

30 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps being taken in his Department to implement the measures recommended by the Food Safety Authority following its audit of abattoirs in relation to specified risk material; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4235/01]

Willie Penrose

Ceist:

73 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Health and Children if he is concerned over the Food Safety Authority finding in its audit of abattoirs that meat for the domestic market is not inspected as vigorously as that for the export market; the measures being undertaken to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4242/01]

Minister of State at the Department or Health and Children (Dr. Moffatt)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 30, 60 and 73 together.

I am concerned at the findings of the recent publication of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland's "Update on Ongoing Audit of Compliance with the SRM (Specified Risk Material) Regulations at Irish Meat Premises (January 2001)". As part of this audit of 278 premises, which included domestic and export approved abattoirs as well as butcher outlets, the FSAI found 29 premises, approximately 10 per cent, to be non-compliant. Some 27 were domestic abattoirs under supervision of local authorities and two were export abattoirs under supervision of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. Both inspectorates now operate under service contracts with the FSAI.

In general because of the high throughput of carcases there is a permanent veterinary presence at export approved abattoirs. In the local authority abattoirs, throughput is generally smaller and there is not a permanent presence in these premises; inspection comprises ante and post-mortem examination by a veterinary inspector.

The FSAI noted that 96 per cent of the animals slaughtered at the domestic abattoirs were under 36 months of age. Legislative controls on feeding meat and bone meal to cattle in Ireland were stringent by 1996-early 1997, therefore these animals would not have had access to contaminated meat and bone meal. However, the removal of SRM from all animals over 12 months is an EU requirement and 100 per cent compliance is required in all abattoirs.

The FSAI is the statutory agency responsible for the enforcement of all food safety legislation. It executes its functions by means of service contracts with the various official agencies which traditionally had primary responsibility, such as the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, health boards and local authorities, in the case of meat inspection.

One of the FSAI's functions is the audit of inspection arrangements and the recent audit of abattoirs was carried out as part of its wider food safety brief. This audit is ongoing to ensure compliance with SRM legislation and the FSAI intends to issue updates on a quarterly basis. It is precisely this type of exercise that the FSAI will be using to ensure that Ireland's food safety controls are adequate. My Department has provided an additional sum of £100,000 to the Authority in 2001 for the enhancement of its audit function. This was a recommendation of the recent report.

On foot of the findings arising from this audit, the FSAI is involved in a variety of actions aimed at protecting consumer health. These actions include the following: when non-compliant abattoirs were found during the conduct of the audit these were dealt with immediately by means of a closure order or an improvement notice, depending on the circumstances. In the FSAI Act, under an improvement notice, a proprietor must identify the activity giving rise to the risk and is required to take remedial action within a specified time limit. All abattoirs found to be non-compliant during the audit are now compliant or alternatively remain closed. The findings of the audit have been brought to the attention of all abattoir owners by means of a series of mailings and a general meeting held with abattoir owners. The findings have also been widely publicised in the media. FSAI has held a number of training meetings with local authority veterinary inspectors, charged with the inspection of these abattoirs. A specific advice sheet has been sent to all abattoirs, both domestic and export, outlining precisely the requirements for dealing with SRM. The retail and wholesale meat trade has also been contacted in this regard. The FSAI is involved with University College Cork in facilitating a specific training programme for local authority abattoir operatives. The Authority is presently involved with the Veterinary Inspectors of the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, the local authorities veterinary service as well as the meat trade, in developing a quality manual for the operation of red meat abattoirs. This manual will deal with SRM issues and broader hygiene issues. As a consumer protection measure and in light of the degree of non-compliance in domestic abattoirs, since 1 January 2001 local authority abattoirs are confined to the slaughter of animals under 30 months of age.

My colleague the Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Martin, will meet this week with the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Deputy Dempsey and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, Deputy Walsh, to discuss inspection arrangements in local authority abattoirs.