Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We have a special investigations unit which is independent within my Department. It is working with the FSAI, which is also independent, and with the Garda, which the Deputy must accept is entirely independent.

I have to give political leadership, because not only do we need a thorough investigation of how this happened from an Irish perspective in order to contribute to the Europe-wide investigation now being led by Europol - which, again, was an initiative in which I was involved to try to establish what has happened at a European level and to ensure we can secure prosecutions - we also need a policy response as the investigation continues, to reassure consumers that we are taking actions and learning lessons from what happened. We are doing all of that, and Ireland is giving leadership at a European level, as has been acknowledged. We will continue to do so, because the food sector is more important to Ireland than it is to any other country in the European Union. In many ways it can be compared to the automobile industry in Germany. The food sector is hugely important to this State and I will protect the reputation of this industry, but I will leave no stone unturned and no reputation untarnished, if necessary, to get to the bottom of what happened and who was responsible for it.

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