Pat Deering (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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493. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of persons employed in the special investigation unit in his Department; the amount of money that has been allocated to this unit in the past three years in tabular form; if he will provide a detailed job specification for the investigators and the training they have been given to help them perform their duties; and the number of cases investigated in the past three years.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54067/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The Department put in place an investigation unit in 1986 with a particular focus, at the outset, on tackling the illegal use of prohibited animal remedies (hormones and black-market antibiotics), which came to light as a problem at that time. The officers assigned to the unit carried out their first investigation in April 1986. Since that time, staff members assigned to the unit have undertaken investigations into a range of matters pertaining to animal health and welfare and public health, to ensure the integrity of the food chain, to protect animal health and welfare and to ensure the integrity of the disbursement of public funds.

The remit of the investigation unit is to;

- Investigate all suspected criminal breaches of all legislation pertaining to the food chain, including animal health, animal welfare, public health.

- Provide advice to other DAFM Divisions regarding possible breaches and approach to investigations

- Cross-report findings back to relevant line Division, as appropriate

- Prepare prosecution files, where appropriate,

- Present the evidence in Court as necessary.

Staff from the unit operate to a specific published code of practice.

Joint operations are regularly conducted with An Garda Síochána, (NBCI, CAB, GBFI), the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland, the Veterinary Council of Ireland, the PSNI, DARD NI, Customs & Excise, the Irish Medicines Board, OLAF and WGEO.

Staff assigned to the unit have a range of primary qualifications in various areas related to their work, including law. They have undertaken a wide range of training to help them perform their duties, including up-skilling. Among the training events which were provided specifically for officers in the unit – additional to other training offered to other regulatory control officers, - include the following:

- A training exercise given by an Garda Síochána in the practical aspects of the law relating to searching premises, securing evidence, taking memo’s of interviews, the making and taking of statements.

- A training course covering the detailed process associated with the collection of cattle identity ear-tags as evidence supported by a forensic analyst from the state’s Forensic Science Laboratory.

- A Legal Training course organised by the DAFM Training Division, involving a practicing barrister, familiar with DAFM cases. The course involved workshop was geared specifically to explain the “how” and “why” of the investigators and prosecutors role and function.

In addition, there are regular scientific training sessions attended by veterinary staff in line with the requirements of the Veterinary Practice Act. Furthermore, staff from the unit regularly meet, formally and informally, with other international investigation agency staff to appraise investigative techniques and to keep abreast of current best-practice.

As the range and scope of the unit expanded over the years into investigating different areas of DAFM activities, training was provided, in conjunction with the relevant line Divisions, to ensure that the investigating officers were familiar with new legislation and its impact on investigations.

Currently there are 10 staff members assigned to the unit – three veterinary, six technical and one administrative officer.

The financial resources assigned to the operation of the unit – including salaries and day-to-day operational expenses, including travel and subsistence costs - in the past three years, is set out below:

Management of the unit hold monthly management meetings with the staff during which each case is discussed with the investigating officer. Officers are advised as to how to proceed with files that have been assigned to them and they report back on progress. DAFM’s advisory legal Counsel is available to attend these meetings and advise as necessary.

The following number of cases have been investigated by staff from the unit in the past three years.

The investigation unit provides a central support to the inspection and control systems applied across the food production system in Ireland, which are well respected internationally and underpin the significantly expanded markets that are being opened up for Irish products across the world.