Abattoirs
European Communities (Food and Feed hygiene) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No 432 of 2009)
Please find relevant links below to more information on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and the list of local authorities on the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government website.
• Department of Agriculture ,Fisheries and Food
Procedures for applying for an abbatoir licence in Ireland
Where the local authority is the supervising competent authority the service provider is advised to submit plans to the local authority prior to construction. These should include layout, services and other structural details along with hazard analysis critical control point procedures/food safety plans etc. Once these are approved and the premises constructed a conditional approval is issued to allow the service provider to commence activity. Subject to the plant being run satisfactorily final approval is issued within 3-6 months. The procedures for approval of premises are set down in standard operating procedures which are agreed with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), the national competent authority. While the local authority issues the approval the actual approval number which the abattoir needs to operate is allocated to the local authority by the FSAI.
Other procedures/formalities a provider of such a service may have to comply with in order to exercise the service activitity include: If an abattoir is being newly established planning permission would be necessary prior to approval and environmental concerns would also have to be addressed. These would both be dealt with by different sections within the local authority
An approved plant in any EU country can supply to Ireland without having to establish/make an application locally. Please find link below to approved food establishments on the Food Safety Authority of Ireland website below.
As mentioned above, the application process for higher throughput establishments is handled by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (DAFF). The procedure is similar to that of the local authorities as all competent authorities involved in the supervision of meat establishments operate under service contract to the FSAI. However, DAFF assigns its own approval numbers.
Please find below relevant contact details for the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. and local authorities in the links below on the Food Safety Authority of Ireland’s website .
