The Department of Agriculture and Food has found no evidence that the AIBP plant at Nenagh was involved in an incident which led to the seizure and slaughter of 22 cattle.
This was stated by a spokesman for the Department yesterday in response to a series of questions posed by the Democratic Left spokesman, Mr Pat Rabbitte.
Mr Rabbitte called on the Minister, Mr Walsh, to make a comprehensive statement on the circumstances of the discovery of a consignment of cattle, which had been smuggled from the United Kingdom, at the Goodman-owned plant on November 17th last, in contravention of anti-BSE regulations.
In a series of written Dail questions last Tuesday, the Minister, Mr Walsh, told Mr Rabbitte that veterinary officials of his Department examined a consignment of 22 cattle delivered to a meat plant in Co Tipperary on November 17th, 1997. Department officials had been notified of the delivery by the Garda Siochana who had examined the Northern-registered cattle truck en route to the factory.
Following examination, the cattle were detained under Garda surveillance and subsequently seized by Department officials, Mr Walsh stated. The seized animals were brought under Garda surveillance to a pound in Co Cavan. After further investigation, including examination of tags and identity documents, Department staff were satisfied that the seized animals were imported from the United Kingdom in contravention of the veterinary legislation of the EU.
Mr Walsh said that a slaughter notice was issued to the owner of the animals on January 2nd, 1998, and the 22 animals were subsequently slaughtered and rendered in accordance with normal Department procedures.
Following up these answers, Mr Rabbitte sought the identity of the registered owner of the cattle and the truck and asked what action had been taken against them. He also asked what action was being taken, or planned, against AIBP Nenagh, having regard to the company's obligations under the Abattoirs Act 1988.
A spokesman for the Department responded that there was no evidence that AIBP Nenagh was involved in this incident. The audits carried out in November, 1997 and March, 1998 did not relate to this matter. The Department's information indicated that the cattle originated in Northern Ireland and not the UK, he added.
A total of 208 cattle, illegally imported from the North, were seized and slaughtered by the Department of Agriculture between July and December last year.
