Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 1342: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of tests there were for food processing in 2006, 2007 and 2008; the number that received more than a monthly test at the State Laboratory, Backweston, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1582/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The following details refer to the tests carried out by the laboratories based in Backweston that come within the remit of my Department.

My Department implements an annual Residue Monitoring Plan, the purpose of which is to protect consumers of food of animal origin from residues of banned substances (e.g. hormones), authorised medicines (antibiotics) or environmental contaminants (e.g. heavy metals). Under the Plan, in the region of 30,000 samples are taken from 11 food-producing animal species on farms and at primary processing plants and tested for a wide range of substances. The results of the Plan are published in full every year, the last of which was published on 18th June 2008.

In addition set out below is the total number of tests carried out on animal feedingstuff samples over the last three years:

2006: 6,840

2007: 7,020

2008: 6,526

Depending on the nature of the analysis the following laboratories were used — State Laboratory (80%); the Irish Equine Centre, Kill, Co. Kildare (15%); Veterinary Research Laboratory, (4%); Others (1%).

The major tests carried out are Proximate Analysis (Protein, Fibre, Oil and Ash) 25%; Mycotoxins 20%; and Constituents of animal origin 15%.