To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he proposes to end the practice of feeding chicken manure and litter to beef cattle.

I have no plans to do so. Anyone who ensiles poultry manure or litter for use as animal feed is subject to the requirements of the Processed Animal Protein Order 1989 which inter alia requires registration with the Department and microbiological testing. Regular checks on the ensiling process are carried out by representatives of the state veterinary service.