The Department of Agriculture received five complaints since 2018 regarding animal welfare at the meat plant that featured in the RTÉ Investigates programme ‘Horses: Making a Killing’ earlier this month.
However, the Irish Mirror has learned that veterinary inspectors from the department were sent to this site on each of the five occasions when complaints were received via its animal welfare helpline.READ MORE: Dept of Agriculture knew about horse microchip fraud years before 'shocking' RTE abattoir investigation
Sinn Féin TD for Kildare North, Réada Cronin, said it was becoming clear that the shocking practice exposed in the programme had more to do with the department’s oversight of the industry rather than the actions of a rogue operator. “It stinks to high heaven on the department’s part, in my opinion,” she said. “I do think it’s down to the department. They know they have a right to inspect all of the buildings on the premises.