Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)

The FSAI report was never published. However, when I raised this in the House on 14 February 2006, the Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Tim O'Malley, stated: "This year the Food Safety Authority of Ireland proposes to conduct a series of checks on various sectors of the food industry in conjunction with the staff of its official agencies. I would like to assure the Deputy that it is intended that the results of these audits will be published." However, after 20 months, instead of a comprehensive audit, a review of the labelling laws was published yesterday. Strangely, this publication made little mention of the blatant abuse of labelling laws. What happened to the extensive audit that was to be carried out in 2006? Has the audit been hidden? Was it ever completed? If not, why not? Were the FSAI and the Departments of Health and Children and Agriculture, Fisheries and Food afraid of what they would find if they carried out and published the audit?

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Minister for Health and Children have been aware of the contents of the 2004 report for three years. Nothing has happened and the report has only gathered dust. They are now complicit in a further cover up and a gross abuse of our labelling laws. Beef from Brazil, pork from the United States, vegetables from Israel, poultry from Asia and lamb from New Zealand can be brought into this country and sold as Irish food products when the only Irish aspect is the label itself. It is a disgraceful situation and one that cannot be accepted within the European Union.

It is extremely frustrating for Irish farmers that an animal that is sent to a meat processing facility in this State without the necessary traceability tags is immediately put in the skip. However, the Department turns a blind eye to what is happening in the food industry. I commend the motion to the House.

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