Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I am glad Deputy Creed referred to the report in one of our daily national newspapers which totally misinterpreted the data given to them, causing as he correctly stated, anxiety among farmers who are sending cattle for slaughter and payment. I assure Deputy Creed - it is important to put this on record - that there is large-scale checking by human classifiers of the mechanical results. There are certain performance criteria laid down in respect of EU tolerance limits. In 2009, 41,034 carcases were checked. On average, within the tolerance level the bias is -0.06. The tolerance level in Europe is plus or minus 0.3. We are actually five times below the top of the tolerance level and as such are very accurate in regard to the analysis carried out. Those are the figures in regard to conformation. In regard to fat, we are only at a level that is one-sixth of what is tolerated. I hope I am making myself clear. We are accurate.

Deputy Creed rightly pointed out that there were criticisms in the past of the human classifier system. That was a subjective exercise. Any of us can go out and look at animals and give our views in regard to what they might be worth and so on. That is a human, subjective assessment and, naturally, people's views will vary. The mechanical classification brings this to a new level and we should be satisfied with it. I trust this accurate report will be carried into the future. I understand the anxiety among farmers, to which the Deputy referred, who read a report that misinterpreted the data supplied.

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