Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 13 October 2004
61 Ms Burton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the cost to the State of BSE testing to date; the distribution of the cost between the farmer and the State; and her views on why only one company carries out the tests. [24482/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder EU legal requirements member states are obliged to carry out a BSE test on all cattle over 30 months of age going into the food chain as well as all fallen and casualty animals over 24 months of age. My Department has followed public procurement procedures in engaging laboratories to conduct BSE testing on its behalf. BSE testing laboratories were selected on the basis of clearly defined technical and financial criteria and they represented the best value for money available at the time. At present there are three laboratories approved for BSE testing.
The gross cost to the State of BSE testing to date is €66.89 million. It has been offset by EU receipts of €20.02 million resulting in net expenditure of €46.87 million. Since 2003 my Department has progressively reduced the financial burden on the State by requiring the meat industry to pay an increasing proportion of test costs. Since 14 February 2003 part of the cost of testing all male animals over 30 months of age and female animals over 30 months of age born after 1 January 2000 was passed to the industry. The Department paid a subsidy of €10.50 per test that was recoupable from the EU. The subsidy was reduced to €8 with effect from 1 January 2004. Since 16 August 2004 the cost of testing the older female animals, born before 1 January 2000, net of the €8 subsidy paid by the EU was transferred to the industry.
My Department continues to play a central role in approving and monitoring test laboratories, taking samples at meat plants and knackeries and controlling and monitoring the surveillance programme. Meat plants may now choose an approved laboratory to test their samples. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the increased competition has had the predictable effect of reducing the price of the test. My Department continues to bear the full cost of testing fallen animals.
