Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 480: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the total operating budget for all regulators and regulatory authorities within the State for the years 2006 and 2007; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7012/08]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is the regulatory authority with responsibility for enforcement of a wide range of EU and national legislation governing primary production and processing in the agri-food sector, including animal health and welfare, plant health and fisheries activities. My Department also carries out control and inspection activities in relation to food safety and consumer protection requirements on the basis of a service level agreement with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and is responsible for the control and inspection functions in relation to obligations imposed on the beneficiaries of EU funded and co-funded schemes such as the Single Farm Payment. A large number of the Department's staff are engaged in the regulatory activity, many of whom have other duties, and it is not possible to isolate the operating budget for this type of activity. The full administrative budget for my Department in 2006 and 2007 was €281.2 million and €296.4 million respectively (including the fisheries administrative budget expenditure from 19 October 2007). The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority is the regulatory authority with responsibility for the enforcement of regulations on sea fisheries protection and seafood safety. The Authority, which is funded through my Department's Vote, was established in January 2007. The operational costs in 2007 were €10.9 million.