Department investigation into knackery issue 'ongoing'

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is currently investigating an issue with a knackery, it has been confirmed.

Responding to a query from AgriLand, a spokesperson for the department stated that “the investigation is ongoing and we cannot release further details at this time”.

The investigation is believed to be in response to the discovery of falsified records at a knackery which processes hundreds of fallen animals, according to The Sunday Times.

The publication reports that the department’s special investigations unit is currently attempting to identify and trace large amounts of meat processed at the facility, which apparently cannot be named for legal reasons.

This meat is believed to have been sold without being sprayed with food colourant to ensure it did not enter the food chain for human consumption.

The department is understood to be attempting to find out if this meat got into the food chain through black market or door-to-door sales to restaurant – though nothing has been established so far, according to The Sunday Times.

At the time, the Department of Agriculture reportedly assured the publication that it had “received no reports” that meat harvested at knackeries had illegally entered the food chain but said anyone with information should get in touch.