STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS.

S.I. No. 327 of 1999.

ABATTOIRS ACT, 1988 (VETERINARY EXAMINATION) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1999.

S.I. No. 327 of 1999.

ABATTOIRS ACT, 1988 (VETERINARY EXAMINATION) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1999.

I, JOE WALSH, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 39 and 63 of the Abattoirs Act, 1988 (No. 8 of 1988) hereby make the following Regulations:

1. (a) These Regulations may be cited as the Abattoirs Act, 1988 (Veterinary Examination) (Amendment) Regulations, 1999.

(b) The collective citation “the Abbatoirs Act, 1988 (Veterinary Examination) Regulations, 1992 to 1999” shall include these Regulations.

(c) The Abattoirs Act, 1988 (Veterinary Examination) Regulations, 1992 to 1999 shall be construed together as one.

2. These Regulations shall come into force on the 1st day of November, 1999.

3. The Abattoirs Act, 1988 (Veterinary Examination) Regulations, 1992 ( S.I. No. 89 of 1992 ) are hereby amended by

(a) the substitution in Regulation 3(1) of the following

““ear-tag” means --

(a) an approved ear-tag within the meaning of the Bovine Tuberculosis (Attestation of the State and General Provisions) Order, 1989 ( S.I. No. 308 of 1989 ), or

(b) an ear-tag referred to in Regulation 4 of the Bovine Tuberculosis (Attestation of the State and General Provisions) Order, 1996 ( S.I. No. 103 of 1996 ), or

(c) an ear-tag referred to in Regulation 2 of the European Communities (Identification and Registration of Bovine Animals) Regulations, 1999 ( S.I. No. 276 of 1999 ).”

(b) the insertion in Regulation 3(1) of the following

““identity card” means

(a) an identity card issued under Article 32 paragraph (2) of the Bovine Tuberculosis (Attestation of the State and General Provisions) Order, 1989 ( S.I. No. 308 of 1989 ), or

(b) a permit issued under Article 33 of the Bovine Tuberculosis (Attestation of the State and General Provisions) Order, 1989 ( S.I. No. 308 of 1989 ), or

(c) an identity card issued under Article 27 of the Brucellosis In Cattle (General Provisions) Order, 1991 ( S.I. No. 114 of 1991 ), or

(d) an identity card issued in accordance with Article 5 paragraph (1) of the Bovine Tuberculosis (Attestation of the State and General Provisions) Order, 1996 ( S.I. No. 103 of 1996 ), or

(e) a passport issued under Article 4 of the 1999 of the Bovine Tuberculosis (Attestation of the State and General Provisions) Order, 1999 ( S.I. No. 277 of 1999 ).”

(c) the substitution in Regulation 6 of the following paragraphs for paragraph (2) and (3) and the insertion of paragraph (5) as follows:

“(2) Prior to commencing the ante-mortem examination of a bovine animal the veterinary inspector shall check or cause a check to be carried out to establish that it has affixed to its ear an ear-tag and is accompanied by

(a) an identity card in relation to the identification of the animal and,

(b) a statement from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development in relation to the current status and the identification and origin of the animal.

(3) The occupier of an abattoir shall ensure that--

(a) each bovine animal which is to be slaughtered at that abattoir complies with the following requirements:

(i) it shall have affixed to its ear an ear-tag,

(ii) it shall be accompanied by an identity card in relation to the identification of the animal concerned,

(iii) it shall be accompanied by a statement from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development in relation to the current status and the identification and origin of the animal,

to enable the Veterinary Inspector to determine the origin of the bovine animal.

(b) that each animal to be slaughtered at an abattoir, and after each slaughter its carcase and meat, bears an identifying mark or number, to enable the Veterinary inspector to determine its origin.

(5) Notwithstanding the generality of paragraphs (2) and (3), the ante-mortem examination may otherwise be concluded in exceptional circumstances in the absence of the provisions of paragraphs (2)(b) and (3)(a)(iii) subject to the provisions of Regulation (9)(2).”

(d) the substitution of Regulation 9 as follows:

“9. (1) The veterinary inspector shall conduct a post-mortem examination of an animal which has been slaughtered at an abattoir; the examination shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Part 1 of the Second Schedule to these Regulations.

(2) The examination referred to in paragraph (1) shall not be regarded as concluded in the absence of the provisions of Regulation 6(2)(b) and (3)(a)(iii).”

(e) the insertion of a new paragraph (m) in part II of the First Schedule as follows:

“(m) If the information from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, in relation to the current status and the identification and origin of the animal, does not confirm that a bovine animal has a legitimate current status in relation to its identification or origin, or compliance with statutory requirements, or in relation to its fitness for human consumption.

(f) the insertion of a new indent in paragraph (e) in part II of the Second Schedule as follows:

“-is contaminated with Salmonella enteriditis or Salmonella typhimurium.”

(g) the insertion of a new paragraph (z) in part II of the Second Schedule as follows:

“(z) If the information from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, in relation to the current status and the identification and origin of the animal, does not confirm that a bovine animal has a legitimate current status in relation to its identification or origin, or compliance with statutory requirements, or in relation to its fitness for human consumption.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations amend the procedures in relation to the ante-mortem and post-mortem veterinary examinations of bovine animals in relation to the verification of the current status and identification and origin of the animal. The regulations also include contamination with Salmonella enteriditis or typhimurium as one of the grounds on which meat may be condemned.