Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 242: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the annual budget of the special investigations unit; the number of staff who work in the unit; the number of prosecutions made in 2007; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45768/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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While the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) was established in the late 1980s to deal with serious problems relating to use of illegal substances (hormones, angel dust etc.) in animal production, its remit was expanded in the intervening years to include assistance in the implementation of various schemes and, in particular, to investigate breaches of legislation governing animal disease control, animal identification and smuggling, etc. Apart from investigative duties, the Unit also has an important role in providing advice and training to other staff in the Department.

The investigations of the Unit in the animal remedies area resulted in the successful prosecution of 252 people/companies since 1996 for offences under the animal remedies legislation (72 people received custodial sentences and fines in excess of €0.95m were imposed). In the wider veterinary area, over the past 8 years, its actions resulted in over 130 successful prosecutions. Fines ranging from €250 up to €24,000 have been imposed and periods of imprisonment were laid down in 13 cases.

There were 3 prosecutions initiated in 2007 and 8 successful prosecutions were obtained in the same year. In addition, the Department decided in 2007, following the judgement of the Supreme Court in the Quinn /Tector case, not to proceed with 25 other cases.

The estimated cost of the Unit including staff costs was circa €1.5m in 2007. The current staffing of the Unit stands at 16.

The effectiveness of the actions taken by the Unit is evidenced by the on-going overall low levels of positive samples in food and the absence of residues of growth promoters in targeted testing in recent years under the National Residue Monitoring Plan. In addition, the significant progress made in reducing the incidence of various diseases (i.e. BSE and Brucellosis) in recent years can be partly attributed to the action taken by the Unit.