Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

The regulatory controls on food safety operate on an EU-wide basis and member states cannot take a unilateral approach to these controls.

In Ireland, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, FSAI, has overall responsibility for food safety although my Department operates many of the necessary controls under service contract to that body. At EU level, the European Commission and more particularly the Food and Veterinary Office of the Commission are responsible for both food safety and animal health controls.

With regard to animal health, my Department has an unparalleled record in dealing with animal diseases. BSE has been brought under control, the last outbreak of foot and mouth disease here was dealt with in an exemplary manner and it is clear that the public has confidence in the proactive approach of my Department to the current foot and mouth disease outbreak in England. Our controls of imports of animals, animal products and animal feed are fully compliant with EU regulations. The regulatory controls on animal diseases apply on an EU-wide basis.

On the issue of beef imports from Brazil, the approval of countries to trade with the EU is a matter for the European Commission. Notwithstanding this, I have been in frequent contact with the EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, Mr. Markos Kyprianou, on the application of EU policy requiring that imports of animal products from outside the EU meet standards at least equivalent to those required for production in, and trade between, EU member states.

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