Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 December 2018
472. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will carry out further investigations into a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52870/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraCarcase classification and carcase presentation controls in slaughter plants are carried out by a dedicated team of specialist staff in the Beef Carcase Classification Section within my Department.
To date in 2018 there have been 521 inspections carried out by inspectors across 32 slaughter plants and 44,332 carcasses have been inspected. A total of 19 carcases were fined for non compliance with the EU reference carcase trimming specification which is 0.05% of the number inspected. Under legislation (SI 363/2010), non-compliance with the carcase trim specification attracts a maximum on the spot fine of €200 per carcase.
Regarding further investigations in factories, additional monitoring of carcase presentation by my Department’s veterinary public health inspection staff (VPHIS) is currently being implemented. This will provide further assurance to stakeholders that the appropriate dressing specification is being applied. These staff will provide a supporting role for the Beef Carcase Classification staff.
Up-skilling of my Department’s VPHIS staff has occurred at regional seminars and local training of officers is being provided. Furthermore information seminars were held for both industry and farm representative bodies regarding the enhanced controls. Phased roll-out is happening at a number of plants currently with full roll-out from January 1st 2019.
Meat Industry Ireland has agreed that from the 1st January 2019, processors will introduce a payment to the farmer supplier to reflect any loss in each case where my Department applied a trim fine on a particular carcase. Such payment will be identified on the payment remittance docket, so that farmers will be aware of the penalty. In addition my Department has had a number of seminars for factory personnel to ensure the rules around trim are clearly understood and properly executed, and these have been well attended.
In addition, my department will publish the names of plants in which on the spot fines have been applied with effect from 1st January 2019. I also intend to publish the names of plants in which such trim fines were levied in 2018 and 2016 before year end, subject to the completion of a number of formalities.
