Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. It was important that the full reply was on the record of the House and I am glad the Ceann Comhairle facilitated that. We need openness, transparency and decisiveness. It is very important that we get absolute clarity about what is happening and assurances that it cannot happen again.

Can the Minister clarify on what basis it is being said - the word of the factory or the knowledge of the FSAI - that the equine product was imported? It is very important for us to get to the bottom of that issue once and for all. We know that up to 30% of the equine product was found in one case. Can the Minister give us details of the level of pigmeat contamination, which I understand was minuscule? Could the Minister reassure people as to how minuscule that was?

Is the Minister willing to accept the invitation of the chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine to appear before it next week with the FSAI so we can have a full and reasoned discussion on this issue and collectively in the Oireachtas be seen to deal with this matter in an agreed manner?

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