Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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1006. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 485 and 486 of 10 December 2020, the out-turn at year end; the meat plants concerned for the breach of trim regulations and the dates; the number of times plants have had to revert to mechanical grading in 2022; the breaches of carcass trim, the dates and plants involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12622/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1184 of 20 April 2017 governs the monitoring of carcase classification, carcase presentation and weighing. In 2020, officers from the Carcase Classification Division of my Department conducted 420 inspections across 32 factories. Over 37,000 carcasses were inspected.

The average number of inspections in 2020 per factory was 13 and the average number of carcasses inspected at each inspection was 89. The legal requirement is eight inspections per year and a minimum of 40 carcasses at each inspection. These inspection figures significantly exceed the numbers required under the relevant EU legislation.

These unannounced checks by classification officers verify the ongoing accuracy of the automated beef grading methods by using a system of points and limits defined in EU legislation. The mechanical classification method must operate within legally defined tolerances at all times. When any mechanical system is found to be working outside of these tolerances, the meat plants concerned are instructed to revert to manual grading. Farmers are advised through their remittance dockets where manual grading is applied.

The suspension of mechanical grading following an inspection by DAFM occurred on four occasions in 2020 and the factories in questions were instructed to revert to manual grading. In all instances, classification officers from my Department conducted a classification check before a factory was allowed to recommence mechanical grading.

During these 420 inspections, classification officers also monitored compliance with the EU reference carcase presentation specification. Monitoring of carcase presentation continues to be carried out by my Department's Veterinary Public Health staff based in the factories, on a daily basis.

In 2020, one factory has been fined for non-compliance with carcase presentation, details of which are published on the Department Website. Any payments made to a Farmer Supplier, including in relation to issues such as this, are a matter between the Farmer/Supplier and the Processor/plant.