Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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218. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of licensed or certified slaughterhouses that were killing equines in each of the years 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024; the names and locations of such operations, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30243/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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There was one approved Food Business Operator that was killing equines in each of the years 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024. Details in the table below;

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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219. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide details of all the non-compliance issues cited at a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2023 and to date in 2024; the number of non-compliance issues that involved welfare, and in each case, what kind; the number that were of passporting/identity, and in each case, what kind; the number that were of traceability and food safety, and in each case, what kind, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30244/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Some non-compliance issues in slaughter plants are dealt with and corrected on the spot. If an issue cannot be dealt with immediately or needs an escalated level of enforcement at a slaughter premises it is routinely recorded on a Non Compliance Report (NCR). The attached table details the number of NCRs issued by year to management at facility mentioned and the number of non compliant items identified on each report. The business operator is required to propose corrective action and a proposed completion date for each. The follow up and close out was in each case completed satisfactorily and this was verified by Department staff at the plant.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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220. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide details of all the actions taken by a company (details supplied) and by his Department, to address and resolve non-compliance issues to the latter’s satisfaction, and to prevent a recurrence, particularly in the areas of welfare, passporting/ID, traceability and food safety; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30245/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In the context of the Department's oversight of the adherence by Food Business Operators to legislative requirements, my inspectors identify non-compliances from time to time.

A range of enforcement measures are available to address non-compliances detected at slaughter plants.

These include : -Verbal DirectionsWritten Non Compliance ReportsWritten Compliance NoticeSuspension or revocation of approvalFixed Payment NoticeProsecution

The intervention chosen will relate to the type, extent and seriousness of the non-compliances detected.

In 2023, there are records of six written non-compliance reports issued relating to the business operator mentioned . All these non-compliances were investigated and resolved by the food business operator to the satisfaction of the Department.

The approval of the premises referred to is currently revoked and all slaughter activities have ceased.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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221. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if the lairage of the abattoir at a company (details supplied) or the property reasonably considered by the public and media to be the lairage and to function as such and as shown on a television documentary – was previously licensed, but was subsequently taken out of an updated licence, be it to the company, any of its representatives or operatives; if so, the reason for its removal; the date of its removal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30246/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The conditional approval granted to the food premises mentioned was issued on 22/07/2015 . The application submitted by the applicant for this approval included an Ordinance Survey map which set out the area of the slaughter house holding which related to the application submitted. This highlighted its separation from the neighbouring farm and shed, including outlining a separate entrance.

Prior to this, when the facility was being operated by another operator, the neighbouring farm yard and shed had been used as an additional lairage facility associated with the slaughter plant. The application by the business operator mentioned, on which conditional approval was issued in 2015 clarified that it did not form part of the application for approval and therefore it did not form part of the approval at that time.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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222. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the basis on which his Department could give the impression to the Public Accounts Committee, and the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, that prior to the television documentary exposé, it had no concerns about a company (details supplied), beyond five welfare complaints, and give the further impression that it was shocked at, and disbelieving of, industry and company issues involving passports and microchips at all, given the company and named individuals are before the courts in legal actions taken by his Department, for example, for the discovery of multiple passports without horses and for forging details in horse passports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30247/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Five welfare complaints were received by my Department in relation to the farm adjacent to the slaughter premises mentioned from 2018 onwards. Four related to individual lame horses, and one related to horses in a waterlogged field following a period of heavy rain. All reports were investigated and in no case was a prosecution deemed appropriate. Nothing of the shocking nature and severity of the welfare abuses seen on the television footage had been seen or suspected prior to the airing of the programme.

In relation to equine traceability, there have been ongoing concerns in relation to equine traceability, both nationally and particularly across the EU with a number of investigations supported by Europol and which the Irish authorities provided support to. The controls that the Department applied in respect of equine identification and traceability responded to known and perceived risks. From 2013 onwards a series of measures have been taken in Ireland to improve equine traceability and to make the identification of equines more robust and less capable of manipulation. These measures include the introduction of a central equine database in 2013, improved security features on equine passports in 2014, a requirement to register equine premises in 2014, the introduction of an equine census in 2021, the launch of an online portal that allows for the checking of the validity of equine microchip numbers in 2023, and the provision of funding in 2023 to facilitate the roll-out of e-passport.

Despite these ongoing improvements it is clear at both national level and EU level that further measures are necessary to minimise the ability of those with a criminal intent from attempting to circumvent the system. When my Department or Gardaí find evidence of illegal activity in relation to equine identification they will bring forward cases for prosecution.

In advance of any events highlighted in the recent television programme, investigations led by my Department involving individuals connected to business mentioned and another Garda led investigation into other individuals have both progressed such that prosecution cases will shortly be heard before the courts. It would not be appropriate to comment any further on these matters at this time.

Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
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223. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if it is normal practice for a slaughterhouse to have 15 non-compliance reports in a calendar year, some week-on-week; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30248/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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This is not unusual. Non compliance reports are a written record of inspection findings and areas identified for improvement or where corrective action is required.