Professor Alan Reilly:

On the question of whether the Food Safety Authority of Ireland had any prior knowledge of what we found, we did not have such knowledge. It is that simple. In collaboration with our counterparts at the European Food Safety Authority and other food safety agencies around Europe, we look at emerging risk analysis. We try to do horizon-scanning in an effort to identify what could be the next risks associated with food which will need to be dealt with. A broad category of risk is associated with substitution and the sourcing of cheap ingredients from different parts of the world. Some previous food scares have been associated with such ingredients. We are looking at the opportunities for species substitution - using one species and calling it another.

For example, products labelled as wild Atlantic salmon were really farmed Scottish salmon. We had to uncover this but we did it through DNA analysis.

The Deputy said he would have imagined robust supplier control would have been in place. Indeed, I would have imagined the same. However, events have demonstrated that the supplier control systems in place are not adequate and it has led to the problem we have. A supplier bought beef trim at face value but did not go into forensic detail of what was contained in the frozen block of meat purchased from Poland. There is a requirement on the industry to look at what it is actually buying and ensuring there is no cross-contamination at processing plants. Plants will have to make sure if they push pork through in the morning and then beef in the afternoon that the facility is cleaned down between the two processes. Otherwise, there will be cross-contamination.

The Minister has spoken to the food industry on this specific point. We are also working with the food industry in developing protocols for introducing this DNA analysis testing to ensure this scandal does not happen again. We must learn from what has happened and put systems in place to ensure it does not happen again. DNA analysis of ingredients, particularly mixed ingredients, will ensure one is buying what it says on the tin and will be a sensible approach for the food industry. It will add an extra layer of control and greater consumer protection. Tesco has said such analysis will be the norm for it from now on. We are talking to Tesco about what would be acceptable to it with respect to the protocols we are trying to introduce. We are also talking to the industry to get its buy-in. We are consulting with stakeholders in developing protocols that will ensure robust supplier control is in place and greater consumer protection.