Services » Recreation, Amenity & Emergency Services

Since the 1st of October 2011 Cork County Council Vetrinary Department has carried out vetrinary services on behalf of Cork City Council on an agency basis.

Contact

Cork County & City Vetrinary Officer, Cork County Council, Vetrinary Section, Floor 2, County Hall, Cork.  Phone: 021 4285405.  E-mail: vets@corkcoco.ie

Veterinary Function

The veterinary function is concerned with the enforcement of certain statutory functions of the Local Authority in matters relating to the control of the slaughter of food animals within the area, the ante and post mortem examination of same, the stamping of meat passed as suitable for human consumption and the condemnation and disposal of unsound meat and offal. Slaughterhouses formerly licensed by the Local Authority under Public Health Acts 1878 -1911 are now licensed under the provision of Eurpoean Directives related to food safety which also: 

• Amend and extend the law relating to Abattoirs and Knackeries
• Make provisions for Veterinary and hygiene controls
• Make provision for other concerned matters such as fixing of fees, procedures for prosecutions and fines, keeping of records, power of seizure, detention and condemnation of meat, etc.
• Outline the precise nature of ante and post morten inspections
• Detail the conditions pertaining to carcase health mark application.

Other Acts include Slaughter of Animals Act 1935, which details how slaughterman licences can be granted.  In addition, the verterinary function plays a role in Animal Welfare and Health under the provisions of the Control of Dogs Act, the Control of Horses Act and the Dieseases of Animals Legislation

The primary objective is the protection of the consumer from diseases which may be transmitted via food of animal origin. 

Meat

Ante and post-mortem veterinary inspections are carried out on all animals slaughtered in the licensed abattoirs within the city. In addition meat coming into Cork City from other local authority areas is inspected for the presence of an approved stamp. Fees at varying rates are charged for each inspection carried out. In addition, samples are collected regularly and forwarded to the Central Meat Control Laboratory of the Department of Agriculture for testing.

Food Hygiene

Regular inspections on wholesale meat premises, meat processors and poultry wholesale/retail outlets are also carried out. Transport vehicles used to convey meat and meat products are also registered and inspected. Samples collected during routine visits are analysed at the Central Meat Control Laboratory, the Pesticides Laboratory and the Ashtown Food Research Centre.  In addition, retail outlets, door-to-door deliveries and transportation involved in milk are inspected.

Complaints

Any member of the public with complaints regarding milk and milk products, meat, meat products and poultry, can contact the Cork County Council Veterinary Department at the above address. In particular, complaints regarding expiry date abuse and lack of operational hygiene will be investigated.