Meat Processing Plant Inspections

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 July 2019

Tuesday, 23 July 2019

Ceisteanna (2055)

Denis Naughten

Ceist:

2055. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of unannounced on-the-spot inspections carried out in the 23 plants with mechanical grading machines in each of the years 2016 to 2018 and to date in 2019, respectively; the number of instances to date in 2019 when meat plants were instructed to revert to manual classification when a machine was found to be working outside of tolerance by inspectors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32121/19]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

In 2018, there were 412 inspections conducted in the 23 Mechanical plants. This is an average of 18 inspections per plant.

In 2017, there were 469 inspections conducted in the 23 Mechanical plants. This is an average of 20 inspections per plant.

In 2016, there were 588 inspections conducted in the 23 Mechanical plants. This is an average of 25 inspections per plant.

In the year to date (up to 30/6/19), there were 229 inspections conducted in the 23 Mechanical plants.

The Deputy will be aware that the legal minimum requirement is 8 inspections per year.

The number of instances to date in 2019 when meat plants were instructed to revert to manual classification when a machine was found to be working outside of tolerance by inspectors is one.