Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The results from samples taken from 11 of the 35 restricted herds do not have significant implications. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland is satisfied that while there was technical non-compliance in three herds, eight were clear. The level of increased levels of PCBs over proposed levels in beef does represent a risk to the public.

There is no reason for a product recall of beef because the number of cattle in the herds identified as having used the feed is less than 0.08% of the total herd, which is less than one tenth of 1%. The reassurance given by the director of public health and the chief medical officer in the Department of Health and Children confirms there are no such implications. It is important that we listen to the facts and scientific advice and take proportionate action.

Regarding the pork situation, Deputy Kenny suggested support was turned down. That is not correct. An official from the European Commission has outlined its position. We are in discussion with processors to devise the parameters of a general scheme which will be submitted to the European Union. I am confident that private storage will receive assistance. We will make the case for other aspects of the scheme to help processors once this is agreed.

The purpose of the discussion, which has been ongoing since yesterday evening, is to assess the level of product to be turned and then to work from that point.

As the Food Safety Authority of Ireland deputy chief executive said today at a press conference that has just ended, we are awaiting the risk analysis results of the European Food Safety Authority on the secondary products between the gate and the market which are still at the distribution points and are still in storage. Those results are expected this evening or tomorrow.

We want to make sure that the steps taken on Saturday to recall all pork products were based on the analysis of known facts and on the advice of the competent authorities, including the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, the chief medical officer of the Department of Health and Children, and the chief veterinary officer of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The analysis and the advice reflected the high levels of contamination detected; the difficulty, if not impossibility, of separating meat from the ten production units concerned from the rest of the output of the relevant processing plants; the need to secure confidence in Irish food and the stringency of the control and regulatory arrangements that underpin food quality here; and the likelihood that in the absence of a recall, importation bans would be applied by individual countries or by the European Union. The public health aspect of this relates to the effects of the cumulative consumption of dioxins, rather than any immediate consequences of the specific consumption of dioxins. That has been explained by the medical officers concerned.

The priority now must be to seek to resume the processing of pork and its immediate restoration to the markets. Half of the output is consumed domestically and 80% of the rest is exported to the UK. That must reflect the focus of marketing and other efforts when production resumes, as we hope it can. The resumption of processing is essential to the 400 pig producers, given the rapid accumulation of animals and the welfare issues which would arise in the absence of an outlet for them. We are in discussions with processors on their position.

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