Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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384. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the tonnage of quality assured beef produced in Ireland in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021; the corresponding figure for non-quality assured beef; the breakdown of tonnage that attracts each quality assured bonus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53772/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department publish data annually on the numbers of cattle slaughtered at both Department approved Slaughter Plants and at Local Authority approved abattoirs, see table below for cattle slaughtered for 2019, and 2020. Preliminary data for Department approved Slaughter Plants for 2021 to date (up to week ending 24/10/21) show that in the region of 1,339,000 head have been slaughtered.

Cattle Slaughtering- '000 heads

My Department does not categorise cattle slaughtering by quality assured or non-quality assured, or track whether a bonus is paid in this commercial transaction between the farmer and the slaughter plant. However, Bord Bia have confirmed that the vast majority of all beef processed in Ireland comes from Quality Assured farms.