ByLeon Symons, Leon Symons
Kosher meat supplies will continue to flow into Britain from Ireland despite a major abattoir having closed its kosher facility last month.
At least two other abattoirs have been employed to make sure that kosher butchers, primarily in the London area, will be fully stocked.
Slaney Foods in County Wexford announced without warning that it was closing its kosher production plant. The company, which also supplies meat to the McDonald's chain, said the decision to close had been made after news reports that halal meat was being used in some McDonald's restaurants.
McDonald's denied pressurising Slaney and said it would help the abattoir to continue kosher production. Its spokesman said: "We've confirmed to Slaney Foods that they can produce kosher meat separately to their production of traceable, non-kosher meat for McDonald's, providing our supply requirements are not compromised."
A spokesman for the London Board for Shechitah said: "When Slaney announced it was ceasing production Dayan Yisroel Lichtenstein and Dayan Menachem Gelley sought new supplies both in Ireland and Europe, so there has been no shortage of meat."