John Lyons (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 423: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the cost of running the Veterinary Public Health Inspection Service in 2009 and 2010; if he will provide a breakdown of that cost to include staff salaries and wages, temporary veterinary inspectors and travel and subsistence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33143/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Slaughterhouses and meat processing plants operate under the supervision of the Veterinary Public Health Inspection Service (VPHIS) of my Department, in accordance with the terms of EU Food Hygiene Regulations. These plants are supervised by veterinary inspectors employed by the Department, assisted in their duties by technical staff (agricultural officers) and by temporary veterinary inspectors (TVIs) drawn from private practice on a rota basis.

The cost of the meat inspection service has been reduced in recent years. The figures as calculated for 2009 and 2010 are set out below:

Part of the cost is recovered from industry through fees for official controls, charged under the terms of Regulation (EC) 882 of 2004. The amount recovered in 2009 was €13.9m (37% of the total cost); and the amount in 2010 was €15.5m (49% of total cost).