Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

I am glad to have the opportunity to make a comprehensive statement relating to the circumstances that led to the weekend's recall of all Irish pork and bacon products and the developments since then. The focus of my statement will primarily be on the role of my Department, while my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Mary Wallace, will focus principally on the public health issues and the involvement of the Department of Health and Children and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. Like the Taoiseach, I compliment various Members on their contributions on the national airwaves over the weekend regarding this issue.

The incident, which resulted in the confirmed presence of dioxins in pork fat, first came to light on Friday, 28 November, when a routine sample of pork fat, taken as part of my Department's national residue monitoring programme was shown to be positive for the presence of non-dioxin-like marker PCBs. The Department moved swiftly in response to this test result to identify the source and scale of the contamination and to contain the incident. Additional samples of pork as well as samples of feed were analysed and the original pork fat sample was sent to the Central Science Laboratory in York for further analysis for the presence of dioxins.

Having determined that the source of the contamination was a feed ingredient, library feed samples were taken from the feed manufacture's facility and the farms to which the contaminated feed was sent were traced and placed under movement restriction. Since then, farm to farm movements from these farms have been traced and a number of additional farms have now been placed under restriction.

At 3.40 p.m. on Saturday, 6 September, the Central Science Laboratory in York confirmed the presence of dioxins in the pork fat samples and the decision was taken immediately that all Irish pork products from pigs slaughtered since 1 September should be recalled. The 1 September date was chosen on the basis of the evidence available to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. In the first instance, an analysis of the dioxins demonstrated that the exposure of the pigs was recent and therefore 1 September was identified as a reasonable precautionary date. The analysis of the feed samples taken from the feed manufacturer for the presence of PCBs supported this position.

Significantly, following the publication by the Department of a press release on Thursday, 4 December confirming an investigation into the source of a contaminant in animal feed and the restriction of a number of farms, the Dutch authorities contacted the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland with regard to their own independent investigation into the presence of PCBs in pork fat samples, the origin of which they had been unable to determine, although Ireland was one of the countries from which product was sourced. These investigations indicated an increase in dioxin levels in mid-September, further strengthening the case for a 1 September date. It is important to stress that at no point was the Department responding to information provided from other member states and we were contacted only after we put information in the public domain.

The decision to have a full recall of pork and bacon was taken to reassure consumers that Irish pork and bacon products available on the market following the recall would be perfectly safe to consume. I am entirely satisfied this was the appropriate response to the confirmed presence of dioxins and I believe that it will provide the necessary reassurance to consumers as soon as Irish pork products reappear on shop shelves, which it is hoped will happen in the coming days.

The national control plan for Ireland, which is approved by the European Commission, covers all the controls in animal health and welfare, food safety and feeding stuffs controls. Under this plan, the Department operates the national residue monitoring programme and the national feed inspection programme. The national residue monitoring programme involves a risk-based sampling regime, where upwards of 30,000 samples are taken from animal tissues at farm and primary processing levels. These samples are tested for a broad range of residues including banned hormones, authorised medicines and a large number of contaminants. The feed inspection programme involves approximately 2,200 inspections per annum throughout the feed chain. The inspections cover a range of areas, including imports, mills, mineral mixture plants, retailers of animal feed as well as farms. The level of inspections carried out complies with and, in many cases, exceeds the requirements of EU legislation.

The premises from which the contaminated feed originated is one of 45 registered food business operators. Very few problems have been found in such premises previously and, as such, they are regarded as low-risk and subject to one or two inspections annually. The premises in question was inspected in 2006 and 2007 and was scheduled for an inspection in late November or December 2008, which had not yet taken place. Ireland's national residue monitoring and national feed inspection programmes are audited by the EU's Food and Veterinary Office and the most recent audit of the national feed inspection programme took place in May this year and the subsequent report reflected very favourably on Ireland's testing regime.

The Department's ongoing investigation into the source of the contamination has centred on a single food business operator and is being assisted by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Garda Síochána. The particular focus of the investigation relates to the type of fuel used in a burner which heats surplus food material for use as animal feed. This process is regarded as relatively simple. Preliminary test results on samples of the oil taken by the Department for analysis suggest that the operator may have been using an inappropriate kind of oil for this process. Further investigations are being undertaken by the EPA on the oil used.

In the meantime, the farms placed under restriction remain under restriction and no animals have been allowed to move off these farms. I am acutely conscious of the particular difficulties that the absence of any processing is causing for pig producers, many of whom I know have thousands of pigs ready for slaughter this week. The Government is particularly anxious that processing recommence as soon as possible and is particularly conscious of the impact on the thousands of workers employed at pig producing plants throughout the country as well as the many producers who are anxious to move animals for slaughter. It is in everybody's interest that slaughtering recommences quickly and that we get back into the market, restore consumer confidence and protect what is a vital element in the wider Irish agrifood sector.

To this end, the Taoiseach and I, along with officials from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, have been engaged in constructive discussions with representatives of the processing sector and producers with a view to putting in place a financial aid package that would facilitate the early resumption of processing. These discussions are continuing and progress is being made and I remain optimistic that we can reach agreement that will ensure that slaughtering resumes this week.

I know there has been anxiety surrounding the outcome of analysis on samples taken from a representative sample of 11 of the 45 cattle herds under restriction. Preliminary results became available from my Department's central veterinary research laboratory last night and have been assessed overnight by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. The outcome of this assessment is now available and I am extremely pleased with the results.

This afternoon, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland confirmed that the results for marker PCBs are such that it is satisfied there is no public health concern. Of the 11 herds, eight were clear and the remaining three, although technically non-compliant, are not at a level to pose any public health concern. The levels found were significantly less than those found in the pigs last week. We will maintain our precautionary approach and a number of proportionate measures will be taken to provide further reassurance as follows. Any animals or herds shown to be above the proposed legal limit will be taken out of the food and feed chain. Any product from these herds will not be released into the market.

The European Commission is being informed of the results and testing of the remaining herds is continuing. The results received to date are such that the measures set out above are sufficient. On the advice of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, there will be no product recall as there was in the case of pork and bacon products. I am pleased and relieved at today's results and I have directed Bord Bia, other State agencies and our embassies worldwide to ensure this positive message is conveyed and the world-class product we have is promoted aggressively at home and abroad.

Obviously, the confirmation of the presence of dioxins in pork and today's results from the beef samples are a major disappointment for this House, the industry and our country. We have a responsibility as a Government to act to protect public health, provide consumer confidence and to safeguard a vital industry. This requires a balanced and proportionate response. I am satisfied that we have acted swiftly, decisively and responsibly. I am confident, based on the expertise and advice provided by the Department of Health and Children and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland that the actions taken do not in any way compromise public health. Rather, they will provide consumer assurance and, with the assistance of a new Bord Bia labelling system, Irish pork and bacon products will be back on the shelves quickly.

The measures we have taken are an indication of our commitment to the public health of our citizens and to the reputation of our agrifood sector. We have, at all times, acted responsibly and proportionately. I am optimistic that the negotiations with processing and producer interests will deliver an outcome that facilitates the resumption of slaughtering as a matter or urgency, in the interests of the thousands of employees, producers and processors and, not least, in the national interest.

See this speech in context