Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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205. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the criteria in force for bovine and equine animals being processed at the same time in the same plant. [19572/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Under EU law, primary responsibility for compliance with food safety and species segregation requirements rests in the first instance with food business operators. Slaughter plants producing meat for human consumption must meet the requirements set out in detailed EU regulations generally referred to as the ‘Hygiene Package’. These regulations are implemented in Ireland under the European Communities (Food and Feed Hygiene) Regulations, S.I. No. 432 of 2009. Regulation (EC) No. 853 of 2004 makes specific reference in relation to species segregation, and provides that where establishments are approved for the slaughter of different animal species or for the handling of carcasses of farmed game and wild game, precautions must be taken to prevent cross-contamination by separation either in time or in space of operations carried out on the different species.

My Department as the competent authority implements official controls designed to verify ongoing compliance by food business operators with the relevant Regulations and with their own Food Safety Management Systems and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plans.

Martin Ferris (Kerry North-West Limerick, Sinn Fein)
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206. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the reason for the delay in issuing the licence to an equine processing plant owner (details supplied) in County Kildare. [19573/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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An application from the company concerned for approval to operate an equine slaughter plant is under active consideration by my Department. All slaughter plants producing meat for human consumption must meet the requirements set out in detailed EU food safety regulations, generally referred to as the ‘Hygiene Package’. These regulations are implemented in Ireland under the European Communities (Food and Feed Hygiene) Regulations, S.I. No. 432 of 2009. Large scale slaughter plants and all plants involved in equine slaughter operate under the supervision of my Department. Officials from the Veterinary Public Health Inspection Service of my Department have carried out a number of inspections and scoping visits at the proposed premises. A request to provide further documentation in relation to a Food Safety Management System and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan has been made to the applicant and a response is awaited. The granting of approval to operate will depend on the outcome of the ongoing assessment and the completion of any upgrading that may be required by the applicant to meet the regulatory standards.