Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 99: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position in relation to the transport of bovine spinal column; the way in which the SRM is transported here from meat plant to destruction plant, if sealed containers are used; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24335/04]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The transport of animal by-products, including SRM, is governed by the provisions of Regulation (EC) No. 1774 of 2002. Those regulations provide that animal by-products must be collected and transported in sealed new packaging or covered leakproof containers or vehicles. Vehicles and reusable containers which come into contact with animal by-products must be cleaned washed and disinfected after each use, maintained in a clean condition and clean and dry before use. Reusable containers must be dedicated to the carriage of a particular product to the extent necessary to avoid cross contamination. In Ireland, the onus to ensure compliance with these requirements rests with the approved meat plant or approved rendering plant. Compliance with these requirements is monitored by my Department's veterinary inspectorate.

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 100: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason five cows out of seven female cattle purchased by a live valuer under the bovine tuberculosis eradication scheme owned by a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon were deemed not to be in calf when killed at the Roscrea meat factory; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24375/04]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The valuation was carried out on 25 June 2004 in accordance with the terms and conditions of the on-farm market valuation scheme for animals removed under the TB and brucellosis eradication schemes. The arrangements for this scheme require that, where female breeding stock are valued, the valuer provides two market valuations for the animals concerned based on the animal being in-calf and not in-calf. In this particular case, two valuation amounts were attributed to five female reactor animals.

Veterinary inspectorate at the meat factory are required to carry out pregnancy checks at post mortem on reactor cows and in-calf heifers in order to enable local district veterinary office to determine the amount due to the farmer. In this case, the five female reactor animals were paid the appropriate valuation amounts for non-pregnant animals on the basis of the post mortem result given in the ER26 permit. The ER26 permit, which is signed by every farmer before any reactor animal is removed, states that the decision of the veterinary inspector who carried out the post mortem is final in this regard.