Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My Department approves and supervises the operation of rendering plants under the terms of the EU Animal By-Products, ABP, Regulation, (EC) 1069/2009. Such plants are approved to handle different classes of animal by-products, with category three being low risk material and category one being higher risk. There are five category three and five category one approved plants in the State at present.

With the exception of fallen animals collected and disposed of under the TSE subsidy scheme, which my Department operates to facilitate testing of bovines over 48 months as required by EU regulations, the rendering of material from meat plants and of fallen animal material is a matter for commercial arrangement. While my Department supervises the operation of such plants to ensure compliance with EU rules on animal by-products, it has no role regarding their ownership or commercial operations. If the Deputy has any specific information indicating possible breaches of competition rules he should pass it on to the relevant authorities.

The following are the details of the ten rendering plants approved by my Department: Waterford Proteins has a facility in Ferrybank, County Waterford; the Munster Proteins facility is in Cahir, County Tipperary; College Proteins is located in Nobber, County Meath; Farragh Proteins has a plant in Count Cavan; Dublin Proteins has two plants in County Wicklow; Slaney Proteins has a plant in County Wexford; Western Proteins has a plant in County Mayo; the SRCL plant is in Kylemore, County Dublin; and United Fish Industries runs a plant in Killybegs, County Donegal. As far as I am aware, these companies are in different ownership but if the Deputy has more information in that regard, I will try to be helpful on the matter.

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