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At least 120 butcher businesses will be forced to shut up shop at the end of November, head of development with Associated Craft Butchers of Ireland Dave Lang has told the Irish Farmers Journal.
The crisis has been sparked by a long-running funding dispute between the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and local authorities, which oversee the management and payment of the local authority veterinary inspection service (LAVS), which certifies small-scale abattoirs.
Lang said: “As well as the imminent threat to close butcher shops, a couple of hundred farmers will lose a vital market which they sell their beef into."
Funding shortfall
The LAVS funding is provided by the Department of Health via the FSAI.
It is understood that roughly €7.8m is needed to keep the service going, while only €6.6m has been offered.
Talks between the FSAI and the County and City Management Association (CCMA) have reached a stalemate, with the CCMA confirming in writing that it will terminate the LAVS contract on 30 November.
Assurance needed
Lang continued: “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 statutory obligation on Government to provide that service.
"All we want is an assurance that the service will continue. The quickest solution will be the FSAI provides the required €1.2m to meet the current deficit."
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