Dáil debates

Tuesday, 23 October 2007

7:00 pm

Photo of Deirdre CluneDeirdre Clune (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)

The debate is about providing information to the consumer and giving confidence to consumers that the products they buy in our shops are not labelled in a misleading way. The food industry is important to Ireland, with 200,000 people working in it. It accounts for 25% of our exports and is worth €7 billion to our economy. Ireland has a long tradition of food production and a reputation for high quality food. Our clear, green image is used to promote our food nationally and internationally. This is something of which we are proud. I commend Deputy Connaughton for pointing out to consumers the regime he must comply with in respect of one newborn calf. This is not the case in countries thousands of miles away, outside the European Union. We must inform those who go to supermarkets what they are buying.

An IFA survey was carried out at the ploughing championships recently and underlines the consumer confusion that exists. More than 2,000 people were interviewed, most of whom I assume were from the farming community. Some two thirds believed that branded products were of Irish origin. This shows that labelling is misleading. The thrust of this motion is to establish a method of closing the loophole whereby substantial transformation can be disregarded. At present, if one imports bacon from outside the EU and cuts it up as rashers it can be packaged as Irish. By sprinkling some spices or breadcrumbs on chicken from Asia we can classify it as Irish and cutting up and repackaging beef allows it to be reclassified as Irish. That is misleading and wrong. It does not give Irish producers a fair chance and downgrades the high quality food that we produce on this island.

Many issues have been raised. We need to identify labelling whereby we can promote Irish products within the EU and abroad. I urge the Minster to consider the green label system, which is Fine Gael policy. We all know the fuchsia product from west Cork, what it means and that it is a quality product. Similarly, the green label could identify Irish products and sell them within Europe. Most importantly, I ask the Minister to close off this outrageous loophole that allows produce from countries that do not have the same standards as us to be passed off as Irish.

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