Results 1-20 of 1,049,673 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Ciarán Cuffe OR speaker:Brian Stanley OR speaker:Maurice Quinlivan OR speaker:Dessie Ellis OR speaker:Jennifer Whitmore OR speaker:Peter Fitzpatrick OR speaker:Réada Cronin OR speaker:Thomas Pringle) in 'Committee meetings'

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: We have apologies from Deputies John Brady, Ciarán Cannon and Imelda Munster. I ask all those in attendance to ensure that their mobile phones are switched off or on silent mode. I wish to explain some limitations to parliamentary privilege and the practices of the Houses as regards references witnesses may make to other persons in their evidence. The evidence of witnesses...

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: I thank Mr. Gleeson. Before we go to questions, I wish to clarify something from last week's meeting. At last week's hearing, Mr. Sheahan, deputy chief veterinary officer in the Department, was here. Questions were asked by Deputy Catherine Murphy and I regarding potential historical incidents at the Straffan plant that appeared in the "Prime Time" investigation programme. I said, "In...

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: Two issues highlighted. How did we get an answer like that from assistant chief veterinary officer? Will Mr. Blake, as the chief veterinary officer, or Mr. Callanan, as the chief inspector, comment?

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: We take that as a given.

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: To use the word "reasonable" and put it back to Mr. Gleeson, would it not have been reasonable and would there not have been an expectation that he could have said - I want to be careful in what I say at the committee - that there is an ongoing Garda-led investigation into the individuals and a court prosecution due to be heard?

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: The horse racing sector was before the committee. Mr. Sheahan came in as a representative of the Department. Is Mr. Gleeson seriously trying to tell me that in the briefing before he came in here, and as the deputy chief veterinary officer, he would not have been aware that there was an ongoing court case regarding this plant?

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: What is Mr. Gleeson trying to say?

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: No one wants Mr. Gleeson to draw conclusions from an ongoing court case. I, the committee and Deputy Catherine Murphy, are trying to get an answer to these questions. There was an ongoing investigation. We asked specifically about historical cases regarding the individuals involved and the plan and this was not mentioned. Here it is now in a reply to a parliamentary question answered...

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: That fact was highly relevant to answers we tried to get to questions here last Thursday morning. We will leave it at that for now.

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: I am sorry as I had to pop out for a moment. We had some newly elected MPs from the North down. Let me move on with the questioning. My first question is on agency staff. For the year in question, there is a cost of €99.5 million, and for 2021 the figure is €91.8 million. This has arisen with other bodies, and obviously there can be explanations, but why is this such a...

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: In relation to the accounts-----

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: They include Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Teagasc.

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: Does the Department employ many staff from agencies in-house?

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: Okay. I want to move on to the situation with the horse industry, horse slaughtering, etc. It is clear from the reply to the parliamentary question and what Mr. Gleeson said this morning that the Department was aware of an ongoing Garda investigation and a prosecution being pursued through the courts, but we were not made aware that the Department was aware of that. We have established...

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: To what is Mr. Gleeson referring?

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: Yes, but in relation to the plant in question we have established there is a Garda investigation and court proceedings. We want to be careful about what is said here. Has there been a discussion with any Department staff involved with the plant in the past ten years who are not retired?

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine had staff on-site at the plant. It was said there was cruelty at the farm attached, but it was actually in the same complex. The programme showed it was in the same yard. The building is adjacent to the slaughterhouse; that is the reality. The farm is connected and not down the road somewhere. We have established that much. There were...

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: What happens when there is a deficiency regarding passport and traceability requirements? Do departmental officials go in straightaway?

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: Questions have been asked about what happens to the meat from slaughtered animals. We understand it goes to France. Can Mr. Blake tell me the position on former racehorses, which I understand are not suitable for human consumption? Can he state categorically that no meat from horses slaughtered at the plant and formerly in the horse racing industry was exported to the European market?

Public Accounts Committee: 2022 Annual Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General and Appropriation Accounts
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (11 Jul 2024)

Brian Stanley: I know that, but what happens to the meat?