Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 433: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department has traced all product that left the feed plant associated with the dioxin scare since 1 September 2008; if it has restricted movement from all holdings that received suspected product; the date on which the plant was inspected in 2006 and 2007; the tests which were performed on the feed product on both occasions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46112/08]

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 434: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the dates in 2005, 2006 and 2007 when the 45 registered food business operators involved in the production of animal feed were inspected by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46113/08]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 435: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the dates of all inspections carried out at a company (details supplied) in County Carlow in respect of feedstuffs under the licensing regulations operated by his Department. [46121/08]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 445: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will clarify the dates in 2006 and 2007 on which an establishment (details supplied) in County Carlow was inspected by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46257/08]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 446: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will clarify whether a specific date in November or December 2008 had been scheduled for the inspection of an establishment (details supplied) in County Carlow; if such inspections are planned by appointment or carried out without prior notice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46258/08]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 447: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will clarify when a licence was first issued to an establishment (details supplied) in County Carlow by his Department; the length of time for which this licence had been held; if the establishment held a licence obtained from another State body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46259/08]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 450: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, during inspections in 2006 and 2007 of an establishment (details supplied) in County Carlow, his Department examined whether industrial oil was used by the establishment in the production process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46262/08]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 455: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of recycling plants licensed by his Department for the production of animal feed; the number of times each plant has been inspected in the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46267/08]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 456: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of farms or individuals currently licensed to blend their own animal feed; the number of times each of those farms or individuals holding such licences were inspected in 2006, 2007 and 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46268/08]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 457: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the type and number of tests carried out by his Department when inspecting licences held by persons involved in the production or blending of animal feed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46269/08]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 459: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the date on which his Department was contacted by Dutch authorities; if he will confirm that these authorities identified the product they found to be containing high levels of dioxins to be Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46271/08]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 461: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the details of previous discrepancies found in the 45 registered FBO feed producers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46274/08]

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 467: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the measures he will introduce to address the inadequate inspection regime in place to date governing those businesses involved in the production of animal feed; if he will examine the areas of licensing, unannounced and, at least, twice annual inspections, fully transparent production methods and raw material sourcing; the penalties he will introduce for those who wittingly or unwittingly employ less than the required standards in their preparation and production operations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46304/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos, 433 to 435, inclusive, 445 to 447, inclusive, 450, 455 to 457, inclusive, 459, 461 and 467 together.

In accordance with EU legislation, the National Feed Inspection Programme, complimented by the National Residue Monitoring Programme, is part of the overall Integrated Annual Control Plan for Ireland. This involves food and feed and details must be submitted to the EU Commission on an annual basis. The aim of the controls is to ensure that feedstuffs and feeding practices do not constitute a hazard to human or animal health or the environment.

The Annual Inspection Programme, involving the carrying out of about 2,400 inspections and the taking of around 1,800 samples per annum for analyses, is drawn up on the basis of potential risk using previous compliance history, the risk potential of the activity, EU co-ordinated controls, the outcome of internal audits and any concerns raised within the industry. The scope of the Programme includes feed importers, feed manufacturing mills; mineral mixture plants; recycling plants who manufacture feed using unused food of non animal origin; feed retailers, wholesalers and hauliers as well as farms. The Inspection Programme complies with the requirements of the EU and in some instances exceeds the inspection level targets set by the EU.

The samples are analysed for composition, presence or otherwise of undesirable substances (such as heavy metals, mycotoxins, dioxins); constituents of animal origin; and banned substances such as antibiotics and growth promoters.

All farm enterprises are registered with my Department as Feed Business Operators under EU Regulation 183/2003, which lays down the requirements for Feed Hygiene. The blending of feed materials, ranging from 'top dressing' to the incorporation of medicated feeds into feed rations, is an option available to all farm enterprises. Those enterprises engaged in using medicated feed are required also to be 'approved', which involves certain additional requirements. About 850 farms are identified, on a risk assessment basis, for inspection each year. A large number of these inspections involve the taking of feed samples for analysis.

The EU Regulation laying down the requirements for feed hygiene clearly states that primary responsibility for feed safety rests with the feed business operator. That responsibility includes an obligation on the operator to identify, as required under the legislation, hazard and critical control points (HACCP) and ensure that all appropriate actions are taken to eliminate potential risks to the feed chain. While the use of oil in the generation of feed drying facilities has not, heretofore, caused problems within the feed industry, this aspect is now being pursued with the feed industry and with the relevant Regulatory State Agencies that are involved.

My Department is engaged, in conjunction with a number of other State Agencies, in an ongoing overall review of activities associated with the recent dioxin incident and this review will include the Department's annual feed control programme.

I will now refer to the specifics of the dioxin case where the results of tests carried out by my Department indicated the presence of marker PCBs in pork fat. Having received the results, my Department identified the feed that was the source of the contamination and the farms that received that feed. The feed was detained on these farms and the animals on the farms had movement restrictions placed on them. All the feed remaining on the identified farms in the Republic has been transported back to the establishment from which it came.

Communication was received from the Dutch Food Safety Authority on the evening of Friday 5th December, in response to them receiving the Press Release issued by my Department on Thursday 4th December, indicating that they had identified elevated levels of dioxins in pork fat.

The establishment where the affected feed was manufactured was registered with this Department as a Feed Business Operator under the new Feed Hygiene Regulations which came into effect on 1 January 2006 and it was inspected in September 2006 and November 2007. No problems were detected at these inspections. Product from the plant was analysed in 2008 for the presence of constituents of animal origin and lead. The sample results were negative. The establishment was scheduled for an unannounced inspection in December 2008.

The establishment concerned also has a permit as a recycling plant from Carlow Co. Co. to recycle unused food material. There is one other such recycling plant manufacturing feed for farmed animals using unused food of non animal origin registered by my Department as a Feed Business Operator. Product from this plant was analysed in 2006 and 2008 for constituents of animal origin and mycotoxins (2006). The samples were negative. Apart from the two dedicated recycling plants which manufacture animal feed from unused food, there are a number of other food business operators who supply their surplus food material directly for animal consumption. These premises are also registered as Feed Business Operators and I am arranging for the information, requested by Deputies Creed and Naughten, relating to inspections of these premises to be collated and made available to them as soon as possible.