Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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412. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his plans to revise the legally defined tolerances currently used to verify the accuracy of the automated beef grading in meat plants; his views on whether the current 40% tolerance is acceptable when machines can be 95% accurate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32729/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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There are currently 22 factories operating mechanical classification in Ireland representing approximately 90% of the national kill. Mechanical grading in beef factories is underpinned by two pieces of EU legislation which came into force in July 2018. Carcase classification is also governed by S.I. 249 of 2019.

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/1184 of 20 April 2017 sets out the legal tolerances for the authorisation of a mechanical classification system. The figure of 40% referred to by the Deputy relates to the authorisation procedure for a mechanical classification system and not the operation of machines. Using a system of points and limits defined in the EU legislation, a mechanical classification system must achieve an accuracy figure in excess of 60% for conformation and fat cover in order for it to be authorised for use in any EU state. Irish legislation is fully aligned with EU regulation in this regard.

Unannounced checks by classification officers verify the on-going accuracy of the automated beef grading methods using the same system of points and limits defined in the EU legislation. In 2020, during 314 checks, across the 22 mechanical grading factories, the average performance for conformation in 2020 was 93.3% and 95.6% for fat cover.

The role of the Department is clearly defined in the Irish legislation in terms of monitoring and supervision of classification. This legislation is constantly kept under review.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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413. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of times in each of the past five years that mechanical grading was suspended in meat plants following an inspection by his Department; the corresponding figure to date in 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32730/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In the past five years (2016-2021 to date), officers from the Carcase Classification Division of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine conducted 2,911 inspections in total, across 32 factories classifying carcasses. The average number of inspections significantly exceed the requirement under the relevant EU legislation. The EU legal requirement for monitoring classification is a minimum of eight inspections per factory per year and must include a minimum of 40 carcasses at each inspection.

In each of the past five years, including 2021 to date, the average number of inspections per factory was 18 with an average of 85 carcasses inspected at each inspection. The number of inspections in 2020 was reduced because of COVID-19 restrictions but continued to exceed the number required by legislation.

Unannounced checks by classification officers verify the on-going 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. As with any mechanical system, grading machines can from time to time fall out of tolerance. The suspension of mechanical grading following an inspection by the Department is summarised in the table below. To date in 2021, mechanical classification was suspended on one occasion following an inspection by classification officers.

Where a machine is found operating outside of tolerance, the factory is instructed to cease mechanical classification. When any mechanical system is found to be working outside of these tolerances, the meat plants concerned are instructed to revert to manual grading. In this scenario, the factory must arrange for the classification machine to be serviced. When this service is completed, the classification section is notified, and classification officers will proceed to conduct a further classification exercise (min 100 carcasses) to confirm that it is in working within the legal tolerances before mechanical grading is allowed to recommence. Farmers are advised through their remittance dockets where manual grading is applied.