As the Irish beef industry geared up today to slaughter and destroy tens of thousands of animals, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development said Ireland must build an incinerator. Mr Walsh said an incinerator was an "essential requirement" if Ireland had any hope of sustaining a food industry and dealing with the waste this generated.
He said the latest BSE crisis brought a "horrendous" situation because Ireland must face up to the fact it will have to deal with its animal waste problems and not export them to other European countries which have facilitated us until now.
Eighteen beef processing factories in the Republic are opting to take part in the EU-driven Purchase for Destruction scheme for cattle over 30 months old. We have an estimated 750,000 such animals.
The Irish Meat Association, which represents the meat plants, has offered the Department of Agriculture the facility to slaughter upwards of 25,000 animals for destruction each week which will generate at least 12,500 tonnes of beef, 1,250 tonnes of hides and 875 tonnes of so-called specified risk material which must be destroyed.
Last night it was learned that the factories taking part will be accepting bookings from farmers to slaughter animals for destruction, but the killing is unlikely to begin until at least Wednesday.
The earlier part of the week will be spent killing animals which have been tested and found to be BSE-free with the Infer test, for a beef market which is slowly recovering.
Both the factories and the farmers would prefer to see animals over 30 months being tested and processed for beef because they fear that otherwise Ireland may get an international reputation of having to slaughter its animals because of high levels of BSE.
The Irish Farmers' Association president, Mr Tom Parlon, said he wanted to see the number of animals slaughtered for destruction kept to a minimum and that it was essential the destruction scheme operate beside a testing regime which would allow animals go into the food chain.
Meanwhile, a Department of Agriculture spokesman said a Sunday newspaper report saying the Department had known for a year that cattle with BSE had been passing undetected thro ugh meat plants was "not worthy of comment".
However, the vice-president of Veterinary Ireland, Mr Sean O Laoide, said Irish vets were satisfied everything that could be done was being done to prevent BSE infected animals getting into the food chain and they were satisfied with the controls in Irish meat plants.
The Fine Gael Leader, Mr Bruton, said it appeared from the report that the Minister had questions to answer in relation to his alleged inactivity.