Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
VET STUFFED
Just when you thought 2020 couldn’t get any worse... Xmas dinner doubt as pay row could mean 100,000 less turkeys
IRELAND’S Christmas dinners could be stuffed by a pay row that is threatening a huge turkey shortage.
Up to 100,000 festive birds could be off the table if 120 abattoirs are forced to shut due to the funding stand-off involving vets.
The Local Authority Veterinar y Inspection Service is due to finish at the end of next month due to a lack of money from the Food Safety Authority Of Ireland and the City And County Managers Association.
Funding cuts in 2018 and 2019 have seen the LAVS offered more than £1million less than it needs to keep the vital service running.
Without the vets, the factories can’t operate, meaning 100,000 less turkeys this Christmas.
The LAVS are in charge of inspecting meat from abattoirs and if this service can’t be provided, the meat can not be sold through local butchers. The vets are funded by the Department of Health via the Food Safety Authority, who f unnel it to l o cal authorities to pay them.
However, the shortfall has sparked a stand-off, with only £6million being made available and not the £7million sought.
Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland head of development Dave Lang, told the Daily Mirror : “It’s panic stations really.”
“As butchers, we need assurance that we won’t reach a cliff edge at the end of November.
“As the inspection of meat prior to sale is a statutory obligation, surely there is a statutor y obligation on
Government to provide that service.
“While we accept there is a pandemic and a lockdown, this is an issue affecting local businesses all over this country and these butchers were there for people all through the first lockdown.
“All we want is an assurance that the service will continue and to know who or what department is going to run it.”
Small abattoirs and craft butcher shop owners supply much of the turkeys to customers at Christmas.
Mr Lang said: “They have complete farm-to-table traceability on all meats, giving the consumer confidence that the food they purchase is locally sourced and fully traceable.
“During the first lockdown, these small producers were able to meet the supply and demand from the consumers through their local farmers.”
Caitriona Morrisey, of the Farmers Journal which investigated the story, told Morning Ireland: “We’ ll be all hoping for a Christmas miracle.
“It’s a dispute that’s been running for quite a part of this year.
“It’s between the FSAI and the CCM of the local authorities and it relates to funding for vets who oversee and certify local abattoirs which is where the majority of poultry, and especially Christmas poultry, is processed for the table.
“The contract looks like it will run out and that will mean about 100,000 less turkeys will be available.
“There was a three-month solution put into place but that looks set to run out now as the CCM and FSAI appear to be at a stalemate.
“It looks like the vets’ contract will be terminated on the 30th of November which is a nightmare for smaller producers.”
The Mirror contacted the Food Safety Authority of Ireland for comment.
Butchers were there for people during the lockdown DAVE LANG YESTERDAY