Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)

The Leas-Cheann Comhairle will be interested to hear that I will be in Wexford tomorrow to visit an abattoir with the owner and staff. The regulation of local abattoirs is the responsibility of local authorities, who report to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland on this matter. Under new EU regulations, collectively known as the hygiene package and which came into operation on 1 January 2006, 189 local abattoirs are approved by local authorities. Under the hygiene package no distinction is made between local abattoirs and other slaughter plants. Product from all approved establishments, regardless of size, may now be exported provided it is accompanied by appropriate certification.

Local food production is an interest of mine and is becoming increasingly important to the diversity and strength of our food industry. The growth in recent years in the number of farmers' markets, which now amount to more than 130, new interest in farm shops and more publicising of the region from where food and food ingredients come all demonstrate that as our globalised world becomes smaller, people are taking an interest in local produce.

Last week, as part of a renewed focus on local food production, my Department hosted the first national conference on local food in conjunction with Bord Bia. The conference was attended by approximately 300 delegates. It built on a series of regional food fora and was an opportunity to present new research on what consumers understand by local, to explore national and international case studies on successful development of local foods and to look at retailer interest. A guide developed by Bord Bia on selling through farmers' markets, farm shops and box schemes was also launched at the event.

Following on from this initiative I will meet with local authorities in January to discuss the scope within their remit for developing the food economy in their areas. A central part of this will be the scope to support abattoirs with regard to specific activities under the marketing and processing scheme operated by my Department.

See this speech in context