Animal Slaughtering Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 23 January 2019

Wednesday, 23 January 2019

Ceisteanna (186)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Ceist:

186. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a food business operator in a slaughter plant can access information on an animal that is not being presented for slaughter by a herd keeper; the information the operator can see relating to other animals in the herd on the animal identification and movement system when accessing information on an animal being presented for slaughter by a herd keeper; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3260/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Each animal consigned by a keeper to a Food Business Operator (FBO) is accompanied by its passport. The FBO has access on the AIMS to information on the specific animals presented for slaughter by herd keepers, such as the date of birth, breed, gender and disease history and this information is available on the animal's passport.

It is the responsibility of the keeper to present the correct passports for the consignment of cattle for slaughter to an FBO. 

The procedure for an FBO to obtain information on any specific animal is by entry of the tag number on the presented passport whereupon information on that animal is released by AIMS.  An FBO does not have any facility to search by herd number.