Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Local authorities play a role in providing services to some small abattoirs. Generally, there can be challenges with the availability of vets in various parts of the country, but my Department is committed to ensuring that this service is properly resourced and companies are facilitated as necessary and to working with local authorities, which have a role in respect of small abattoirs.

In the past five years, the Department’s staffing levels have increased by 700. Today, we are at a record number. However, we must stay within our overall budget, so we are restricted from increasing continuously. We must also ensure that resources are allocated in a way that delivers our services in a way that makes maximum use of them.

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