Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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17. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if his Department will undertake a comprehensive analysis of feedlot figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27006/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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It is important to clarify that there is no legal definition of a feedlot herd. The Deputy may be referring to Controlled Finishing Units. The Department defines certain herds as Controlled Finishing Units (CFUs) in the context of the Bovine TB Eradication Programme. This definition is unique to that programme and does not necessarily mirror the use of the term "feedlot" by the public and/or other institutions. CFUs are subject to enhanced biosecurity measures as part of the TB Programme and can only sell direct to slaughter.

The Department's statutory responsibility in the context of meat plants is to approve slaughter plants in accordance with the European Union (Food and Feed Hygiene) Regulations 2020 and after that to ensure that the DAFM approved plants operate in compliance with the EU's food hygiene legislation, animal health and animal welfare standards. The Department’s remit in relation to finishing units is to ensure that they operate in compliance with the EU's animal health and animal welfare standards. My Department cannot, in carrying out these processes, take into account issues outside the scope of this remit.

I have acknowledged the importance of transparency in the market for primary producers and my Department is progressing several initiatives to increase transparency. Central to my commitment to transparency is the establishment of a new Office, to be called the National Food Ombudsman or similar. The additional powers to be assigned to the new Office by primary legislation, going beyond those in the Unfair Trading Practices Directive, are currently the subject of a public consultation which is open until 26th May on the Department’s website and I encourage the engagement of stakeholders in this process.

This new Office will have a specific role in analysing and reporting on price and market data in Ireland. As the Deputy will be aware, the Department and Bord Bia already publish a wide range of price and comparative market data on a weekly basis.

Supporting the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the Irish agri-food sector will underpin the development of the Department's supports under the next Common Agricultural Policy.

Ultimately, I want to ensure that, as a priority, we protect farm family incomes whilst also protecting the environment and future and development of ongoing supports for the sector will be underpinned by these principles.