S.I. No. 373/2009 - Abattoirs Act 1988 (Veterinary Examination and Health Mark) (No. 2) Regulations 2009

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of 18th September, 2009.

I, BRENDAN SMITH, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by sections 39 and 40 of the Abattoirs Act 1988 (No. 8 of 1988) (as adapted by the Agriculture and Food (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Regulations 2007 ( S.I. No. 705 of 2007 )), hereby make the following Regulations—

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Abattoirs Act 1988 (Veterinary Examination and Health Mark) (No. 2) Regulations 2009.

2. Where the carcass of an animal slaughtered in accordance with Chapter VI of Section I of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 is brought to an establishment approved for the slaughter of animals in accordance with the European Communities (Food and Feed Hygiene) Regulations 2005 ( S.I. No. 910 of 2005 ) and is, after post mortem inspection provided for in Chapter VI of Section I of Annex III to Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004, declared fit for human consumption, the mark specified in the Schedule shall be applied to the carcass by, or under the supervision of, the official veterinarian.

3. The operator of an establishment shall ensure that any meat, a meat preparation or a meat product derived from an animal referred to in Regulation 2 bears the mark specified in the Schedule.

4. The Abattoirs Act 1988 (Veterinary Examination and Health Mark) Regulations 2009 ( S.I. No. 154 of 2009 ) are revoked.

SCHEDULE

The special mark shall consist of a diamond where each side is of equal length and shall have clearly and legibly marked the approval number of the establishment to which the mark relates, and the letters IE in the same proportions, as in the model that follows:

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

11 September 2009.

BRENDAN SMITH,

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These regulations allow for the possibility of meat from an otherwise healthy animal that is subject to emergency slaughter due to e.g. an injury that prevents transportation live to a slaughtering establishment, to be processed for human consumption. Such meat must be marked as in the Schedule and may only be placed on the market within the State. The Abattoirs Act 1988 (Veterinary Examination and Health Mark) Regulations 2009 ( S.I. No. 154 of 2009 ) are revoked.