Beef Industry

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 4 July 2019

Thursday, 4 July 2019

Ceisteanna (383)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

383. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 747 of 11 June 2019, when the report on beef grading will be published; if a comparison between the beef grading machines and the new machines was completed as part of the process of evaluation; if both sides of the carcase were analysed as part of the trial; the tolerance and accuracy levels expected of the new technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29016/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

My Department supervised the recent modification trial that was carried out in Slaney Meats, Bunclody to establish compliance with EU legislation, in terms of the new mechanical beef carcase classification technology being trialled.

A classification expert from the Netherlands independently monitored the two year trial and produced a detailed report. The Report will include accuracy levels relevant to the existing and to the new technology. This report will be published in the near future on the Department's website.

I can state that the trial methodology and the comparisons between grading machines and expert classifiers were fully in line with EU guidelines.