Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)

What we are talking about here is the combined and shared objective of primary food producers and consumers to have food they produce and purchase properly labelled with reliable information regarding safety, origin and nutritional value and other critical information that should rightly be attached to it. In economic terms, we are talking about a beef industry worth in excess of €1.5 billion per annum, a pig industry worth €450 million per annum — which employs in the region of 7,000 people — and a poultry sector worth approximately €250 million per annum. We are also talking about the 100,000 plus farm families and the many more individuals employed in processing, distribution, marketing and other related sectors. We are further talking about an indigenous Irish industry that has proved itself capable of competing with the best at a global level. More important, however, we are talking about consumer rights and, specifically, the exposure of Irish consumers, through flawed, piecemeal and dangerous labelling legislation, to substandard food masquerading as Irish produce in our supermarkets, shops and restaurants. As a result, people are also being exposed to very real health risks.

At the core of this debate is the fact that the Government — like its predecessor — is reckless in light of the facts regarding the dangers associated with the continued importation of Brazilian beef into Ireland and the EU. In mid-July, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Coughlan, in an article in the Irish Farmers' Journal, said, "There are issues with traceability and tagging, but Brazilian beef is a threat to trade, not a threat to health". This statement, quite apart from being far removed from the facts and representing a betrayal of more than 100,000 Irish beef producers who comply with the highest standards of production relating to traceability, animal welfare, etc., begs a number of questions I want the Minister to answer this evening. I acknowledge the presence of the Minister of State, Deputy Sargent, but I regret that the Minister is not in the Chamber.

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