Removal of meat for incineration starts
The material has been stockpiled here by the Department of Agriculture and Food since the BSE crisis in 2000-2001.
But that practice was ended last year in accordance with European Commission guidelines. Rendering companies are now responsible for the material.
Minister of State Liam Aylward told Labour spokesperson Dr Mary Upton in the Dáil that tenders were invited for the removal of the quantities stored by the department prior to that time.
Eighteen companies in Britain, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and Ireland responded with tenders. One contract has been concluded and two are nearing finalisation. The removal of material under the first contract started this week.
It is expected that most of the material will have been removed and incinerated in Britain and Germany by the end of 2004. Mr Aylward told Deputy Seán Ryan the cost relating to the material will total about €24 million for storage and €146 million for disposal.
Replying to Dr Upton, he said the good news was that the level of BSE had dropped dramatically over recent years.
This proves that the policy adopted at the insistence of the European Union has been successful and, hopefully, Ireland will soon be free of BSE.
The problem will always have a tail, but the figures show that the graph is going in the right direction, he said.
