Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when she expects to receive and to publish the Inter-Department Agency Committee to Examine Meat and Bone Meal Disposal in Non-Agriculture or Energy Sectors Report; the persons who are the members of this committee; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24604/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Report of the Inter Departmental/Agency Committee on Disposal Options for Meat and Bone Meal (MBM) was submitted to Government on 9 December 2003. The Report is available on the Department's website at www.agriculture.gov.ie under 2003 Publications.

The Committee members were Tom Moran (Chairman), Kevin Cassidy, Noel Dinneny, Michael Gunn and David Lynch (Department of Agriculture and Food); Liam Whelan (Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government); Robert Carey (Department of Finance); Gerry Wrynn (Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment); Tom Kennington (Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources); Marie O'Connor and Leo Sweeney (Environmental Protection Agency); David Nolan (Food Safety Authority of Ireland); Derek Breen and Fred McDarby (Enterprise Ireland).

The Committee was established by the Government in April 2002 to consider the options for disposal of MBM in Ireland in the non-agriculture or energy sectors and to make appropriate recommendations on those best suited to Irish conditions. This followed the introduction of an EU ban on the use of MBM in feed for farmed animals as a precaution against the spread of BSE.

The Committee concluded that co-incineration of MBM in the manufacture of cement would be the most practical recovery outlet. Use of MBM as a substitute fuel for energy production provides a safe recovery outlet. In addition, the incineration of MBM would also provide a safe recovery outlet. Use of MBM in petfood production offered only limited potential. Other possible mechanisms needed to be kept under ongoing review.

The Committee's recommendations have impacted on policy in this area, and as a consequence the range of productive outlets for safe disposal of MBM within the country has been expanded.