Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 51 together.

My Department's contribution to the fallen animals scheme ceased with effect from Tuesday, 14 April 2009. This was as a result of budgetary constraints and also reflects the greatly reduced incidence of BSE in this country. However, I provided continued financial support for the collection of certain dead animals, notably bovines aged over 48 months, for sampling, as required under the ongoing national BSE surveillance programme. The disposal of dead farm animals is subject to EU regulations, notably Regulation (EC) No. 1774 of 2002. These regulations require that animals, which die on-farm, must generally be disposed of through approved knackeries and rendering plants.

With the ending of the fallen animals scheme, the cost of collection and rendering for animals not covered by the new scheme is now a matter for negotiation between the individual collectors-rendering plants and their customers. Within the boundaries of legal requirements, my Department is making every effort to facilitate measures enabling reduction of costs in the rendering-collection system such as allowing cross-Border trade, permitting direct delivery by farmers to authorised plants, considering removal of some costs currently built into the rendering process and encouraging indigenous use of meat and bone meal, MBM, for energy.

Farmers may continue to use the existing collection network or, in the alternative, may transport dead animals by prior arrangement to approved knackeries, provided they transport the carcases in leak proof, covered containers or vehicles. Burial of fallen animals is only permissible under licence in remote areas, that is, islands, and listed mountain and bogland areas. Farmers who wish to bury animals on-farm should apply to their local district veterinary office for a burial licence. It is also a legal requirement on all keepers of bovine animals to notify movements of all bovines, dead or alive, off their holdings to my Department.

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