John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 166: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the reason for the delay in granting a licence for the slaughtering of horses to a company (details supplied) in County Carlow on foot of an application lodged in February 2008; if he will expedite a response. [42495/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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My Department currently approves this establishment under the European Communities (Food and Feed Hygiene) Regulations for the slaughter of bovine, ovine and porcine species. The Department maintains a veterinary presence at the establishment during all slaughtering activity, as well as providing a continuing supervisory presence to ensure ongoing compliance with the regulations. Since receipt of the application for approval for equine slaughter, the Department has worked closely with management of this establishment in order to ensure that the appropriate structural and operational requirements are met at the establishment for the approval of equine slaughter.

A number of other issues have arisen in relation to the existing approvals that have required urgent attention by the establishment, and officials of my Department have met with management on a number of occasions in order to have these issues addressed. The most recent such meeting took place on 5 November last and arising from this meeting it has been agreed that an approval inspection in relation to the application for equine slaughter will be carried out at the establishment by my Department's veterinary officials on 26 November 2009.