Abattoir regulations
Local authorities are responsible for supervising small, approved meat processing and slaughter facilities in their area.
Depending on their size, abattoirs in Ireland must be supervised by either the local authority of the area where they are located, or by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
- Local authorities are responsible for supervising small, approved meat processing and slaughter facilities. They inspect these facilities to ensure that they meet food safety and animal welfare standards, facilitate audits, collect and report data, and investigate outbreaks of food borne illnesses.
- The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is responsible for supervising larger meat processing and slaughter facilities. For more details visit www.pointofsinglecontact.ie.
Abattoir licence
Anyone who wishes to run a small meat processing or slaughtering facility must apply to the local authority for an abattoir licence. It is advisable to start consulting with the local authority early and submit plans for the facility to the local authority before construction, including the proposed layout and structural details as well as planned procedures.
The local authority will first issue conditional approval, and if the facility is being run satisfactorily, the final approval will be issued within three to six months. Contact your local authority for full information about the process for issuing an abattoir licence.