2515. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the public body that is responsible for independently validating the accuracy of milk testing used for payment purposes given that milk suppliers are paid according to compositions tests, including butterfat and protein, and may also face deductions based on other test results; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55965/26]

2516. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any public body can compel an independent re-test where a farmer disputes or wishes to verify a payment related result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55966/26]

2517. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the oversight that applies where financial penalties are deducted from farmers on the basis of tests that fall outside a laboratory's accredited scope; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55967/26]

2518. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to his Departments' confirmation that it has no statutory basis for auditing milk testing for payment purposes and that there is no legal requirement to accredit payment-test methods, his views on whether it is consistent that commercial measurements such as weighting scales and fuel pumps are subject to statutory verification under the Metrology Act 1996, while milk testing used to calculate farmer payments is not; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55968/26]

2519. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider introducing a right for milk suppliers to obtain the raw test data behind their payment results and to seek an independent re-test; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55969/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2519, 2515, 2516, 2517 and 2518 together.

Following the abolition of the milk quota regime my Department no longer has a statutory function in relation to milk testing for constituents like butterfat and protein. This is a commercial matter between the milk purchaser and their supplier. Most milk purchasers have purchasing contracts in place with suppliers which include dispute resolution procedures, these should be utilised in cases where suppliers are not satisfied with some aspect of testing.

There is no legal requirement to accredit the test methods used for testing milk for constituents like butterfat and protein. However, most milk testing laboratories implement quality control systems to ensure the accuracy of the results obtained. If the testing laboratory has chosen to accredit these tests they would receive an annual audit visit by the accreditation body to assess compliance with the standard.

As my Department has no statutory role in this area, it cannot compel a milk purchaser to do a retest.