Joe O'Toole (Independent)

When the Abattoirs Bill was going through the House approximately 15 years ago, some Members pointed out the difficulties it would create for local butchers and industry and we have discussed the subsequent problems many times. On several occasions over the years I have heard the Leader talk about the difficulties created for the development of home industry which is destroyed by an overly strict interpretation of European regulations.

We are now about to do the same again. European regulation 854/2004 will create havoc for small supermarkets and butchers. Whereas throughout our lives we have seen local butcher shops provide steak and meat to local hotels, we now have a situation where the regulation will require the butchers to register as wholesalers as opposed to retailers. This will result in a whole new set of regulations, thereby doubling up on the regulations with which retailers must currently comply. The regulation will also require veterinary and health officers to examine each business to ensure the butchers are within the regulations. This will create havoc around the country.

The interpretation the Government is taking has not been taken in other countries, particularly not in the UK. I do not want to go into the details but will give a simple example of the outcome. Around the Border areas butchers will be in competition with their colleagues. On this side of the Border, butchers who sell more than 500 kg of meat over a certain period to a local hotel or business will have to register as wholesalers putting them in competition with people from the other side of the Border who can sell up to 2,000 kg.

This regulation means we are going to over-regulate once again, put small industries out of business unnecessarily and create hardship and difficulty. This is a matter for the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children and I want her to come to the House to discuss it. The Tánaiste has shown herself to be practical on issues such as this and I do not believe she would want the regulation to go ahead. I understand she has been pushed into it by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, but we should review it and ensure that Irish butchers and meat outlets are not under a more difficult regime or regulations than their colleagues in the UK. We should adopt the same approach throughout the island in accordance with the Good Friday Agreement. We should ask the Tánaiste to address the issue.

Yesterday, Senators referred to the importance of St. Michael's CBS, Inchicore, which is located in a highly-underprivileged area. I did not intervene in the debate because I wished to check something. I believe the Christian Brothers are closing the operation because the school is situated on two acres of prime development land. We are walking away from a highly-underprivileged, disadvantaged community for the sake of a small investment. We should discuss this. The Minister for Education and Science must abide by decisions of the management and school authorities, who seem determined to close the school, but she should support the appointment of an additional staff member. This is one of the most underprivileged areas, a fact I have been aware of for many years. The school has done Trojan work despite difficulties and opposition. It deserves our support.