Investigation held into missing meat in North

THE Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland has confirmed it investigated the disappearance of meat from the carcasses of condemned cattle which had been slaughtered at a Goodman owned plant in Newry.

But Goodman International said it was satisfied that the meat had not been stolen at its Anglo Irish Beef Processors plant, while both Goodman and the North's Department of Agriculture denied newspaper reports that the matter was being investigated by the RUC.

As a result of its inquiry, however, the department demanded that security he stepped up at the AIBP factory, and at the Belfast rendering facility where the theft was discovered. The department has since installed a full time inspector at the rendering plant, which is not owned by the Goodman company. An inspector is always present in processing plants at slaughter times.

A spokesman said the department had no authority to refer the apparent theft to the RUC, because animals killed under the BSE slaughter policy do not become government property until after the rendering stage. It was up to companies involved to hold their own investigations and then decide whether the matter should go to the police, he added.

Goodman International said it was satisfied that the alleged incident did not take place within the confines of the factory and AIBP had no contact thereafter with regard to transportation or incineration of the product".

A spokesman added: The Department of Agriculture in Northern Ireland concurs that the process carried out at the plant is in full compliance with the strict guidelines in relation to this scheme."

The disappearance of the meat was discovered in a spot check by agriculture inspectors on May 14th. Eight carcasses were involved and the fillets were missing in each case.

The department dismissed a newspaper report that the meat was worth £1,000, but said the apparent theft was a matter of great concern.

The department spokesman said he had no idea where the meat may have ended up, but admitted it might have been taken for domestic use.

The Department of Agriculture in Dublin said the matter was one for the companies concerned and for the authorities in Northern Ireland.