383. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of staff employed at the Veterinary Food Safety Laboratory, Inniscarra, County Cork, by grade and by employer; the arrangements planned for these staff if the laboratory closes; whether staff and their representative bodies have been consulted; whether the laboratory's INAB accreditation, registration 261T, will be surrendered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75097/26]

384. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine where the official control food and water testing currently carried out at the Veterinary Food Safety Laboratory, Inniscarra, County Cork, including listeria, salmonella, carcase swab and water testing, will be carried out if the laboratory closes; the location of the nearest alternative category 3 laboratory capable of testing for high risk pathogens such as verocytotoxigenic E. coli; the expected impact on sample turnaround times for food businesses in Munster; the estimated additional cost of transporting samples; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75095/26]

385. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if a decision has been made to close, or to cease funding or using, the Veterinary Food Safety Laboratory at Inniscarra, County Cork, including its category 2 laboratory and category 3 containment facility; the date on which any such decision was made and by whom; the planned closure date; whether a review, business case or value for money appraisal was carried out before the decision; if this will be published; whether the decision is one for the Department or for Cork County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75093/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 383, 384 and 385 together.

In July 2024, Government announced the phased transfer of official food controls undertaken by Local Authority Veterinary Services from the Department of Health to the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine.

As part of this agreement, my Department are currently engaged in a Service Level Agreement with the Veterinary Food Safety Laboratory - Cork County Council, which covers the phased transfer of official laboratory analyses from Cork County Council to my Department.

From January 2027, my Department's laboratories will expand its services to absorb the testing of official control samples currently undertaken at the Veterinary Food Safety Laboratory.

Officials from my Department have engaged with and continue to engage extensively with Cork County Council in this regard.

My Department already utilises the services of a nationwide delivery service provider to transport samples. From January 2027, samples currently delivered to the laboratory in Inniscarra Co. Cork will be delivered to my Department's laboratories in Co. Kildare, or to my Department’s laboratories in Co. Cork, with no adverse impact on turnaround times.

The staff of the Veterinary Food Safety Laboratory are employees of Cork County Council, therefore the arrangements for staff currently located at the laboratory in Co. Cork are a matter for the Local Authority.

Similarly, any decision regarding the INAB accreditation, and utilisation of the laboratory capacity at Inniscarra,  is a matter for Cork County Council.