S.I. No. 259/1985:

PIGS AND BACON ACT, 1935 (PART II) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1985.

PIGS AND BACON ACT, 1935 (PART II) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1985.

I, AUSTIN DEASY, Minister for Agriculture, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 52 of the Pigs and Bacon Act, 1935 (No. 24 of 1935), hereby make the following Regulations:

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the Pigs and Bacon Act, 1935 (Part II) (Amendment) Regulations, 1985.

(2) These Regulations and the Pigs and Bacon Act, 1935 (Part II) Regulations, 1965 ( S.I. No. 113 of 1965 ) may be cited together as the Pigs and Bacon Act, 1935 (Part II) Regulations 1965 and 1985.

2. These Regulations shall come into operation on the 1st day of November, 1985.

3. Part I of the Eighth Schedule to the Pigs and Bacon Act, 1935 (Part II) Regulations, 1965 ( S.I. No. 113 of 1965 ) is hereby amended by--

( a ) the substitution of the following paragraphs for paragraph 1:

"1. In this Schedule--

'animal remedy' means any substance, preparation, mixture or compound which is capable of administration or application, whether internally or externally and whether in a feeding stuff or not, to an animal by any means for the purpose of preventing, diagnosing or treating any injury, disease, ailment or defect or improving its health, condition or efficiency but, subject to the foregoing, does not include a feeding stuff commonly known and used as such,

'relevant period', in relation to a certificate or statutory declaration, means such period not exceeding 90 days immediately before the making of the certificate or declaration, as the veterinary examiner concerned considers appropriate.

1A. Ante mortem examination by veterinary examiners shall include observation and handling and, where the veterinary examiner deems it advisable--

( a ) the taking of temperature;

( b ) the taking of samples, whether of urine, faeces, blood, tissue or otherwise;

( c ) the obtaining of certificates or statutory declarations in respect of a pig from any person who was the owner or person in charge of the pig during the relevant period stating whether or not any hormonal or antibiotic substance or other animal remedy has been administered or applied to the pig concerned during the relevant period and, if any animal remedy has been so administered or applied, stating the date of such administration or application, the name of the animal remedy and the quantity thereof so applied or administered;

( d ) the obtaining of certificates or statutory declarations in respect of a pig from any person who was the owner or person in charge of the pig during the relevant period stating--

(i) whether or not the pig has been under the care of a veterinary surgeon during the period of one year immediately before the making of the certificate or declaration and, if it has been under such care, the name and address of the veterinary surgeon concerned;

(ii) the name and address of any other person who was the owner or person in charge of the pig during the relevant period;

( e ) the obtaining of certificates or statutory declarations in respect of a pig from any veterinary surgeon under whose care the pig has been during the period of one year immediately before the making of the certificate or declaration stating whether or not, to his knowledge, any hormonal or antibiotic substance or other animal remedy has been administered or applied to the pig during the relevant period and, if any animal remedy has been so administered or applied, stating the date of such administration or application, the name of the animal remedy and the quantity thereof so applied or administered.

1B. A veterinary examiner may refuse to pass a pig as fit for slaughter if a certificate or statutory declaration in respect of the pig has been requested by the veterinary examiner and has not been furnished.";

( b ) the substitution of the following subparagraphs for subparagraphs (u) and (v) of paragraph 3:

"(u) The presence of pesticides or of hormonal or antibiotic substances or of other animal remedies in the pig,

(v) Any other abnormal condition or residues, temporary or otherwise, which, in the opinion of the veterinary examiner, renders meat or offals unfit for food or for the production of bacon.";

( c ) the insertion of the following paragraph after paragraph 3:

"3A. A pig may not be passed by a veterinary examiner as fit for slaughter if he reasonably believes that hormonal or antibiotic substances or other animal remedies have been administered or applied to the pig in such manner or quantity or at such a time that residues of the substances or remedies so administered are likely to remain in the edible tissues of the animal after it has been slaughtered.";

( d ) the insertion in paragraph 7 of the following subparagraphs of the subparagraph (h):

"(i) Indications of the administration or application to the pig concerned of hormonal or antibiotic substances or of other animal remedies.

( j ) Where the veterinary examiner deems it advisable, the presence of residues of hormonal or antibiotic substances or of other animal remedies or of other substances that, in the opinion of the veterinary examiner, render meat or offals unfit for food by means of tests on faeces, urine, blood or tissues or otherwise."; and

( e ) the insertion in paragraph 17 of the following subparagraphs after subparagraph (25):

"(26) Indications that a hormonal or antibiotic substance or other animal remedy has been administered or applied to the pig from which the carcase or offals are derived in such a manner or quantity or at such a time that residues of the substance or other remedy are likely to remain in the edible tissues of the carcase or offals of the animal after it has been slaughtered.

(27) Presence of residues of hormonal or antibiotic substances or of other animal remedies administered or applied to the pig from which the carcase or offals are derived.

(28) Presence of residues of other substances that, in the opinion of the veterinary examiner, render meat or offals unfit for food."

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 7th day of August, 1985.

AUSTIN DEASY,

Minister for Agriculture.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations enable veterinary examiners to extend the scope of ante and post mortem examinations of pigs in order to check for residues of antibiotics, hormones, and other substances in pigs and pigmeat, and to reject pigs, carcases, meat and offals deemed to be unfit for food.