Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour) | Oireachtas source

With my colleagues I welcome the representatives of the Musgrave Group as it employs many people and is one of the few Irish firms that has reached the level it is at and will open a new store in Clare in the near future. I note that the witness said that the Musgrave Group sells only 100% fresh Irish meat. I apologise if I am duplicating a previous question, in which case I hope the Chairman will correct me. From that I assume that porkmeat is 100% fresh meat. When one says 100% fresh meat, I presume bacon, ham, rashers and sausages are excluded, which would be an important portion of meat sold in the group's shops. What percentage of pigmeat sold in its shops is Irish, taking into account that bacon, ham, sausages and so on are staples of the Irish diet? Do the witnesses agree that the label "produced in Ireland" is misleading? I am not saying that is unique to the Musgrave Group, far from it, but is it misleading generally? People may pick up a packet of rashers which states that it is produced in Ireland. The paper it is written on may have been produced in Ireland, it may have been wrapped in Ireland or cut in Ireland but the pigmeat could be from Denmark or anywhere else. If so, is this an issue that should be addressed? The same happens with milk.

For example, one may see lots of little tricolours on various food products that have very little to do with Ireland. I have yet to see tricolours on bananas and pineapples, but they are the only items I have not seen the flag on.