Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 1289: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the measures he is proposing to implement to ensure that recycling plants producing animal feed are inspected on a more regular basis in view of the information that the plant producing contaminated animal feed was not inspected by his Department at all in 2008; the cost and frequency of dioxin tests here in animal feed and food production plants; if imported animal food or feed is tested for the presence of dioxins by his Department; if the inspection regime for animal feeds produced in recycling plants is different from that in compounding plants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47899/08]

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 1296: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if recycling plants producing feedstuffs for animals are inspected by his Department; the number of such plants here; and if there is a licensing scheme for recycling plants producing animal feed being drawn up under the auspices of his Department. [48036/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1289 and 1296 together.

In accordance with EU legislation, my Department's National Feed Inspection Programme is part of the overall Integrated Multi-Annual Control Plan for Ireland. This Plan involves food and feed, and details must be submitted to the EU Commission. The Food and Veterinary Office of the EU Commission audits the Plan. 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 hazard and critical control points (HACCP) and ensure that all appropriate actions are taken to eliminate potential risks to the feed chain.

The National Feed Inspection Programme is implemented by a specially trained staff unit who carry out approximately 2,400 inspections per annum throughout the feed chain, based on risk assessment at registered establishments covering imports (amounting to approximately 800 bulk consignments per annum); 80 manufacturing mills; 17 mineral mixture plants; 80 premises supplying surplus food such as bread, dairy products and vegetables for animal feed; 2 food recycling plants; 120 grain intake depots, 690 retailers and wholesalers of animal feed; 967 transport operators; and a sample of 900 farms, including those involved in the home mixing of animal feed. The 2 food recycling plants are registered as Feed Business Operators.

In addition 1,800 samples per annum taken from the complete range of feed materials and compound feed undergo some 7,000 laboratory analyses for composition, the absence of meat and bone meal, undesirable substances and banned substances. The level of inspections and sample-taking carried out complies with the requirements of EU legislation.

Turning specifically to the dioxin incident, the food recycling premises involved was inspected in 2006 and 2007 and was scheduled for an inspection in December 2008. This inspection had not taken place by the time the contaminated bread was discovered. However, since then the National Feed Inspection Programme has been reviewed and the Programme for 2009 will take cognisance of the following:

The need to ensure that Feed Business Operators fulfil their responsibility as primary custodians of feed safety and place greater emphasis on checking their HACCP Plans. In this regard notices have issued to establishments reminding them of requirements in relation to HACCP, with particular emphasis on ensuring that the correct type of oil is used in feed/grain drying operations:

Readjustment of the inspection and sampling regime in the light of the reassessment of the risk associated with drying of feed/grain.

Apply an inspection regime at food recycling plants that is similar to that at premises producing compound feed.

Samples are analysed for dioxins under the National Feed Programme and the National Residues Programme. The frequency of such testing is determined by risk assessment. The State Laboratory will carry out dioxin testing for the 2009 Programmes, the cost of which will form part of the State Laboratory's cost structure.

The review of the National Feed Inspection Programme is consistent with the approach adopted by my Department after the BSE crisis in the nineties and the foot and mouth outbreak in 2001 when the Department updated its contingency arrangements in the light of the experience gained.