The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is to seek a further extension of its service contract with local authorities for veterinary services in small abattoirs.
It comes as discussions are continuing in relation to the proposed transfer of local authority veterinary inspectors to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
It is understood that under the proposal veterinary inspectors would continue to enforce the same legislation in the premises that they currently supervise, but their employment would transfer to DAFM.
The department, the County and City Management Association (CCMA), the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), veterinary inspectors and trade unions are involved in the talks.
FSAI
To ensure the provision of official controls on food safety in small meat premises, including abattoirs, the FSAI has service contracts in place with councils across the country.
The authority has said that it is essential there is a service contract in place to provide a legal basis for a local authority to enforce food law on behalf of the statutory body.
The current contracts have been extended twice this year already to allow more time for negotiations between the various stakeholders.
As it current stands, the extended contracts are due to expire on December 31, 2022.
In a statement to Agriland, a spokesperson for the FSAI said that the authority “is looking at arrangements for extending the service contract to allow for the continuity of official controls into 2023”.
They said that the extension would facilitate the ongoing discussions.