Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)

I have been looking at some information given recently to my colleague, Deputy O'Shea, and I notice that quite a substantial amount of meat and milk products has been detected, but there is no specific targeting. My understanding is that it is only where searches are carried out by Customs and Excise for excisable goods that any food or food products have been detected. If that is so, I would have some concerns, given our concerns about foot and mouth disease, for example, which we debated earlier. Other exotic diseases may now be imported into the country.

I would not expect the Minister for Agriculture and Food to provide exact figures, but has anyone ever voluntarily presented at the border posts to admit possession in luggage of exotic meat, for example, which the person would like to hand over? I am curious if any volunteers have ever come forward. In all the times I have passed through Dublin Airport, I have yet to see anyone but myself declaring for example that he or she has been on a farm while abroad. I wonder if anyone has ever presented carrying a food product.

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