Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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383. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount spent on the veterinary public health inspection service on an annual basis; the way in which this changed in the past three years; if the service received a boost in funding for 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20424/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The cost of providing the Veterinary Public Health Inspection Service in Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine approved meat establishments, net of fees paid by the Food Business Operators, for 2016, 2017 and 2018 was €11.8m, €13.3m and €14m respectively.

One of the main elements of the Veterinary Public Health Inspection Service cost relates to the provision of ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection as required under Regulation 854/2004 by Temporary Veterinary Inspectors whose services are used on a contract basis for inspection in slaughter plants. The budget for Temporary Veterinary Inspectors has been increased by €2.8m for 2019.

The increase in inspection costs over the three year period is due to higher bovine slaughter numbers and a requirement for allocation of additional resources in some USDA-approved plants.