Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the measures in place for on-site validation of the categorisation of category one, category two and category three meat and bone meal; the amount that has been spent by the State associated in the handling of category one, two and three MBM on an annual basis since 2009; the number of inspections that have taken place in 2009 on an annual basis; the percentage of inspections found incorrectly classified MBM; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4159/11]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is responsible for the approval and supervision of rendering plants and MBM stores in accordance with the terms of Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002, which governs the use and disposal of animal by-products (ABP) generally.

Of the nine approved rendering plants, five are approved as Category 1 plants and can deal with all types of ABP, including specified risk material. The other four are Category 3 plants dealing with lower risk material.

Six of the twelve approved MBM stores are approved to store Category 1 MBM, one for Category 2 and five for Category 3 MBM.

Under the TSE Subsidy Scheme €9.67m was paid to Category 1 rendering plants in 2009, and €5.81m in 2010, to cover the cost of rendering and disposal of fallen animals.

There is full time technical supervision in rendering plants by officials of my Department. Processing plants are also validated before commercial production commences and at regular intervals thereafter.

During 2009 and 2010 official veterinary inspections in rendering plants were carried out on a monthly basis. Verification inspections were carried out on an annual basis.

MBM stores are selected for inspection on a planned basis, with one store in each region being inspected annually.

The miscategorisation of MBM under the current controls is extremely unlikely and the planned controls carried out in 2009 and 2010 found no indication of incorrect classification.

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the names and addresses of plants approved to dispose of category one meat and bone meal; the capacity in tonnes of each of the approved plants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4160/11]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Nine plants have been approved in this country to render animal by-products (ABP) in accordance with the terms of Regulation (EC) 1774 of 2002. All of these plants operate under the supervision of my Department. Five of the plants are approved as Category 1 plants and can deal with all types of ABP, including specified risk material. The other four are Category 3 plants dealing with lower risk material.

Details of the five Category 1 plants are set out as follows.

During 2010 the five Category 1 rendering plants produced 71,139 tonnes of meat and bone meal (MBM). Details of production for individual plants can not be revealed as the information is commercially sensitive.

Category 1 material must generally be disposed of by incineration, with the consequence that Category 1 MBM for some years had to be exported for incineration at significant cost. In recent years however some Category 1 MBM has been used under IPPC licence as a co-fuel in a cement plant (Lagan Cement, Killaskillen, Co Meath) and I am also aware of proposals to use it as a carbon-neutral fuel to generate electricity.