Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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691. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will address concerns that there is only a single factory (details supplied) providing a slaughtering service for grass-fed organic cattle in Ireland; if he agrees that such a de facto monopoly is anti-competitive for farmers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11050/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is the competent authority responsible for the enforcement of official controls to ensure compliance with EU rules on food and feed hygiene at meat processing establishments under its supervision.

The enterprise mentioned by the Deputy is a private company and the number of food business operators providing approved slaughter activities is entirely a commercial matter.

The number of organic livestock farmers in Ireland continues to grow with over two thousand farmers converting to organic principles under contracts which commenced at the start of 2023. The slaughtering of organic beef is open to all processing facilities and it is expected that, in time, other enterprises will apply for approval to process organic beef to meet supply and demand in the market.

If anyone has concerns regarding the anti-competitive nature of any industry, I advise them to contact the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission which is an independent statutory body responsible for promoting compliance with, and enforcing, competition and consumer protection law in Ireland.