The Government was warned yesterday that it risked closing meat factories and abattoirs this autumn if it persisted in its attempts to privatise the meat inspection service.
The warning came from Veterinary Ireland, which represents vets in private practice who carry out inspections on meat in factories and abattoirs on a part-time basis.
A statement said that its members were aware that the Department of Agriculture and Food had approached abattoir and factory owners about privatising the service.
"The initial driving force for this is the cutback in funding of the service by the Government. The allocation this year is just over €17 million, as distinct from more than €20 million in 2002," said Mr Fintan Graham, president of Veterinary Ireland.
While there had been efficiencies since the announcement of the budgetary cuts since the beginning of the year, it now appeared that the money allocated would not be sufficient.
His members had been told that the Department of Agriculture and Food had suggested to factories that people from abroad be brought in to carry out meat inspection duties here.
"This is a sad reflection on the thinking within our Department of Agriculture and the factory and abattoir owners. Veterinary practitioners have been doing meat inspection work for several decades and providing an excellent service from which consumers at home and in our export markets have benefited."
He said that proper meat inspection added to the value of the product from the seller's point of view and ensured a safe product for buyers and consumers. This was especially true of export markets.
Mr Graham said the independence of the inspectorate was of vital importance. If the inspectorate were in the employment of the factory and abattoir owners, then their independence would be compromised, breaching one of the most stringent requirements under EU rules.
Mr Tom O'Leary , chairman of Veterinary Ireland's Food Animal Group, said that the vets who carried out inspections in meat plants did so on a part-time basis and delivered a huge amount of flexibility to the system.
He said that vets were suitable for this work insofar as they had a knowledge of bacteriology, pathology and parasitology and were educated in animal welfare. They also had more training than any other profession in the recognition and control of zoonotic diseases.
The system of working in the meat plants on a part-time basis suited the veterinary practice because it was much more limited now than in the past.
Vets now were very busy providing a service for about four months which covered the calving/lambing/foaling season and were available to work in the plants in the autumn during peak killing time.
"As things stand now, the Department of Agriculture has indicated that, despite the considerable efficiencies already achieved this year, given the 20 per cent drop in funding, money for meat inspection will run out in the autumn," said the statement.
"This could lead to a situation whereby factories would have to close at what is traditionally the busiest time of the year, leaving farmers with unsold cattle.
"The extra funding required to maintain last year's level of service to the industry is a tiny price to pay to avoid the catastrophic consequences which could result from this cutback," it concluded.