Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 540: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the way she proposes to dispose of the carcasses of poultry ordered to be destroyed due to its possible infection with avian flu; if such carcasses will be transported to Germany for incineration; the facilities that exist at present here for the incineration of such carcasses; if such facilities as exist at present here have the capacity to render such carcasses beyond risk to human, animal or avian health; the capacity of such facilities here; if it would be necessary in Ireland to transport such carcasses, as happened in Britain after the recent H5N1 outbreak in Suffolk, over a hundred miles from where they had been gassed; and if so, the guidelines which would operate to ensure risk of infection from such carcasses is eliminated. [13116/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In the event of a compulsory slaughter of poultry, associated with a suspect or confirmed outbreak of avian influenza, the Department has identified a preferred method of slaughter and subsequent disposal of carcasses.

The method chosen for disposal of carcasses and other infective material will be in accordance with the requirements for Category 2 animal by-product laid down in Council Regulation 2002/1774/EC ie to a Category 1 (there are currently no Category 2 plants in Ireland) rendering plant followed by incineration. There are four category 1 plants in Ireland. The processing temperatures required for approval of category 1 plants are greatly in excess of temperatures required to inactivate AI virus, and therefore eliminate any risk to human or avian health. The distances over which the carcasses will be transported will be determined by the location of the outbreak and the proximity of the nearest rendering plant. Detailed guidelines are in place for the safe transport of carcasses from infected farms to rendering plants.

My Department is satisfied that there is adequate rendering capacity to deal with an outbreak of avian flu in commercial poultry and arrangements have been made with the rendering plants to ensure that all appropriate public health measures are taken to protect staff in such plants who may come in contact with any untreated infected material.

There will be no requirement to export carcasses for disposal, whether by incineration or otherwise. The final product of the rendering process — meat and bonemeal and tallow — will be exported for incineration, as is the existing practice in view of the lack of incineration facilities in Ireland.