Mr. Aidan Cotter:

I quoted a newspaper report in which a retailer insisted that Irish beef supplied to the company must be from animals born, reared and slaughtered in the Republic of Ireland, while British beef must be from animals born, reared and slaughtered in either England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. The retailer's specification precludes the supply of an animal that is born in the Republic of Ireland and slaughtered or processed anywhere in the UK. That is specifically excluded.