Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this As he will be aware, in December 2021, following scrutiny by the European Commission, the application for PGI for “Irish Grass Fed Beef” was published in the Official Journal of the European Union for a three-month opposition procedure that was open to both EU member states and third countries. Following the submission by the United Kingdom through the member state third country consultation procedure, the Commission invited both parties to engage on the application. After extensive engagement between my Department and its UK counterparts, particularly in Northern Ireland, the consultations were successfully concluded with agreement that the geographical area covered by the application will cover the island of Ireland. There had been a lot of engagement between myself and the Northern Ireland Minister of Agriculture, Environment, and Rural Affairs, Mr. Edwin Poots MLA, and between our two Departments in the run-up to that, to facilitate the process and achieve that outcome. It was our intention from the outset.

In early August last year, the revised product specification was sent to the European Commission. The Commission recently advised that its scrutiny of the revised application is ongoing. As the Deputy will appreciate, it is not possible to state when that scrutiny will be completed. However, my officials are in regular and proactive contact with the Commission with regard to progressing the scrutiny. These matters are governed by EU regulations and the process can be complex when there is a cross-border element with regard to the geographical area. We will be guided by the Commission's interpretation of the legal requirements when they have completed their scrutiny. I want the PGI for Irish grass-fed beef to be of real benefit to the suckler and beef farmers on the island as proper recognition for their hard work, commitment and dedication to producing a world-class beef product. It will be a really positive step forward and we are doing all we can to make sure it progresses in the best timeframe possible.

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