181. Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which beef found to have tuberculosis present at the time of slaughtering is processed; if this beef is processed for human consumption; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52276/26]

The rules relating to the management of meat from any bovine found to have TB at post-mortem examination following slaughter are set out in EU Commission Regulation 2019/627 (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32019R0627&from=EN). These are followed in all Food Businesses engaged in bovine slaughter in Ireland, under my Department's supervision.

The procedure is that all meat from cattle in which post-mortem inspection has revealed localised lesions, similar to tuberculoid lesions, in a number of organs or a number of areas of the carcass, are declared unfit for human consumption. However, where a tuberculoid lesion has been found in the lymph nodes of only one organ or only one part of the carcass, only the affected organ or part of the carcass and the associated lymph nodes are declared unfit for human consumption.