Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for that and I thank my colleague, Deputy Kenny, for raising this issue of funding of the local authority veterinary service. I know how important these services are in our local areas and the work they do. The FSAI is the competent authority with overall responsibility for the enforcement of food safety legislation in Ireland. Enforcement is managed through service contracts between the FSAI and a number of official agencies, including the local authorities, as the Deputy said. Local authorities are responsible for food law enforcement at over 500 small food businesses, including small meat processing plants and more than 170 slaughterhouses. Activities undertaken by the local authority veterinary services, LAVS, on behalf of the FSAI under the service contracts are legally required under EU food law.

County veterinary officers also perform a range of other functions and services such as the enforcement of animal health and welfare legislation at slaughterhouses, on-farm emergency slaughter and verification of competence to slaughter by plant operatives. They also have statutory responsibility in relation to dog and horse controls, dog licensing and the regulation of dog-breeding establishments.

The FSAI and the County and City Management Association, CCMA, on behalf of the local authorities, have been engaging for some time regarding the funding and effective delivery of the FSAI service contract. Both parties have agreed to work together to introduce a new, more efficient model of service. The local authorities are seeking additional funding for 2021, which is expected to be reduced, with the introduction of the new service model. The annual funding provided by the Department of Health to the FSAI is inclusive of funding to the local authority service contracts and, while funded by the Department, the FSAI is independent in the exercise of its functions. Notwithstanding the need for a more efficient model of services, additional funding is being made available by my Department to the FSAI in respect of LAVS service contracts for 2021 to provide stability to the service and the businesses which would have been impacted by the cessation of the local authority service contracts, which was being proposed by the CCMA for the end of November 2020. The FSAI is working closely with all parties to ensure a system of food safety controls is in place in local authority supervised premises from 1 December 2020. In this regard, I have been advised that the FSAI has in recent days had positive engagement with the CCMA regarding the extension of the current service contracts.

See this speech in context