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

I thank all the Deputies who contributed to this debate. Several Members asked if we could have a detailed discussion on this report, its consequences and its policy implications at the agriculture committee. I want to do that and give as much time as is necessary. I have shown myself to be more than willing to go to committee for long question-and-answer sessions on this matter. We will do that again for this report because I want everyone's input. We will outline a timescale for actions in this regard.

When we replied to parliamentary questions on the passport issuing system for horses, we gave the factual position. In recent years, we have introduced a system of microchips and passports. The law states horsemeat cannot enter the human food chain unless its identity is known through its passport as well as its medical history. Clearly, there are flaws in the system of which fraudsters are taking advantage. However, when people make complaints, we need evidence to follow up on that. We have acted on the evidence that we have gathered ourselves and it is detailed in the report.

I thank Deputies Martin Ferris and Ó Caoláin's supportive comments as I know there is always a temptation in opposition to sling political shots. I have tried to keep all Members up to date on the matter as much as possible through private briefings. There are, however, some ongoing investigations referred to by this report that I cannot discuss. There is one meat trader who operates on both sides of the Border and, in my view, there will be a Garda investigation involving that individual. It is not Martin McAdam by the way. I hope I can continue to ensure the decision-making process in this regard is open and transparent.

I am pleased that others see the frustrations I have expressed especially with regard to QK Meats and its lack of forthcoming information.

Deputy Ó Caoláin asked some specific questions about legislation on compulsory reporting. We have made a commitment that we would do this and examine it and we will do so. I am somewhat restricted in what I can say about the future of Silvercrest Foods. I had hoped that by today I could give more clarity for the workers in Silvercrest in terms of what their future holds. I have been rather critical of Silvercrest and ABP Food Group in this report but they have continued to pay all of the staff in the plant in full during the past two months while the plant has been essentially closed and that is to their credit.

I have been working with the industry, including ABP Food Group, to try to ensure that we have a future for a large, modern burger-making facility at Silvercrest. It is probably the best plant of its type in Europe. I have visited it and seen it for myself. Given the changes that are needed there is no reason this plant cannot continue to employ all of the people that are there at the moment or continue to produce more than 200 million burgers per year, which is what it was producing. That gives a sense of the scale of the operation. I am afraid the detail of that will be for another day.

The issue of bute or testing for phenylbutazone was raised. We decided to release no meat into the market until all horses being slaughtered had been screened for phenylbutazone or bute. That process will have some false positives and when we get them we will test them in detail for bute to determine whether they are real positives and we will release all of that information. The testing will take place until the end of this month and we will publish information on the extent of the problem or otherwise, as the case may be, when we have that information. The issue of sanctions was raised. I have made it clear in the report that, when and where appropriate, we want to take prosecutions and make an example of people if they are guilty of wrongdoing, but obviously I must have the law on my side to do that and I cannot do it simply because I want to.

Deputy ‘Ming’ Flanagan read into the record a detailed set of proposals. I believe we will do much of what Deputy Flanagan is proposing. Deputy Ó Cuív raised this issue as well. We are considering a centralised database in order that we can have central control of information. The reason for this is similar to the regulation of the beef sector in that when horses are being slaughtered companies should be able to tap into a central computer system to ensure each given horse is as it should be in terms of markings, the microchip matching the passport and the age being consistent with the passport. Unfortunately, a lot of disturbing facts have come to light as a result of our investigations in terms of horses being slaughtered without accurate information.

I will finish presently but I am keen to ensure Deputies get answers. I put it to Deputy Boyd Barrett that it is not true to say we jumped to conclusions at the start of this. Initially this investigation was about Silvercrest Foods. When we established where the ingredient that contributed to equine DNA being in the burgers was coming from we released the information because I said I would do so. The truth is that all the ingredient which tested positive was Polish-labelled. We tested a good deal of other ingredient that came from other parts of Ireland and none of it tested positive. I had to release that information and we drew obvious conclusions from that. Subsequently, the investigation has expanded to involve many more companies, meat traders and others countries and it is true to say that we have real concerns about some Polish-labelled product which on its way to Ireland was transited through other EU countries and which, we believe, may well have been tampered with. Therefore, there are two problems here. Undoubtedly, there are problems with product that came directly from Poland and Polish companies. For example, QK Meats was sourcing from 19 different Polish companies and it returned some product directly to some of those Polish companies. However, there is other product managed by meat traders through intermediaries, especially through our closest neighbour. We have some concerns and there are ongoing investigations in this regard.

Our conclusions have been on the basis of the facts that we can establish through gathering information, interviews, audits of invoicing and order forms, interviewing transport companies and testing in cold stores, but all of this takes time. I believe our team did a great job within a two month period in putting together a rather hard-hitting report. Anyone who accuses me of trying to protect the industry inappropriately will change that view having read this report. We have left no stone unturned. Where criticism is merited we have given that criticism in a blunt manner. However, where companies deserve the all-clear in terms of a lack of wrong-doing we are trying to do that as well. This is about telling the truth, learning lessons from what has happened and ensuring that it does not happen again.

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