Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the action she is taking to ensure all third country beef is properly labelled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6787/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Beef imports into the European Union from third countries must have been sourced, first, in countries and, second, premises listed and approved by the European Commission and which are subject to veterinary audits by the EU's Food and Veterinary Office. In addition, such imports are subject to checks laid down in the harmonised rules prescribed at European level and must be accompanied by the prescribed veterinary health certification from the competent authorities in the country of export.

The Community beef labelling requirements, which are compulsory in all member states, apply to beef sold at retail level within the Community, regardless of whether that beef was produced within the Community or a third country. Where beef is imported into the Community from a third country, that beef must, at a minimum, be labelled as "Origin: non-EC", with an indication of the third country in which slaughter took place.

There is a gap in these EU requirements in so far as they do not apply at restaurant and catering sector level, and Ireland has raised this with the Commission. It is my intention to proceed with a national legal requirement that country of origin must be displayed in respect of beef served on such premises. Proposals to this effect will be brought forward once the legal options allowing for this development have been fully examined. In this regard, I am in consultation with the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Deputy Harney, on the appropriate legal mechanisms to give effect to such labelling.

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for her reply. Has the European Commission put forward a proposal to Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay to increase their imports into the European Union by approximately 300%? The Minister referred to audits by the EU's Food and Veterinary Office. Two separate audits were carried out in Brazil and both uncovered similar problems which have not been resolved. This threatens the issue of biosecurity of imports to this country and raises serious questions on traceability.

The Minister stated the requirements do not apply to catering, which leaves the system open to abuse. It is also open to abuse in regard to the issue of substantial transformation. Will the Minister provide a timescale for addressing this issue? Ireland should be setting the agenda. Will she do this ahead of Commission proposals?

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The issue of substantial transformation was raised by me on Monday last at Commission level, most particularly in regard to the poultry sector. The issue of labelling has now dawned for many EU member states which were vehemently opposed to this when it was led by the Irish. There is a change within the Council in regard to substantial transformation and sourcing, including date and place of slaughter. However, in the interim, Ireland is proceeding on the issue. While it would have been better and easier to do this in the context of a European decision, we are not prepared to wait.

I met the Tánaiste. She will facilitate primary legislation through her Department, at which stage we will be able to give legal impetus to a statutory instrument that I will put forward on this issue.

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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What primary legislation is required and what is the timescale for it? I am glad the Fine Gael Private Members' motion put the Government and the Commission in focus.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I would not get too big a head. I do not know if the Commission reads our reports.

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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It focused the Minister's mind.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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My mind would have been more focused on this issue, particularly in the poultry sector, than the minds of some of the men in this House over the years. I am supporting our poultry sector. Some people may be surprised that consumers are not aware that in the majority of cases, the poultry they eat, particularly the majority of chicken breasts, do not come from this country.

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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It is not coming from the EU.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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It is coming through the EU, assisted by the trains. Our fresh produce is good.

I was prepared to introduce a statutory instrument when I came to this Department and I had been advised by the Attorney General that it must be supported by primary legislation. I found that it was going to take me some time to get back to the House with primary legislation and on that basis I am being facilitated with such legislation by means of a new health Act which the Minister for Health and Children will hopefully bring forward at the beginning of the next term if we get through everything else in this term.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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I thank the Minister for her answer and I welcome the progress being made. Another related issue is that of traceability. This is not just a matter of labelling. One can insist on any labels one wants to. First, there are issues surrounding the language in which labels are presented. Second, the issue of the Sudan Red 1 dye which has emerged in the past couple of weeks has made a significant impact for consumers regarding what they are eating and what other components might be in a product, not necessarily in beef or poultry but across the whole spectrum of foods we eat.

I would like to know if there is any way of co-ordinating that information across the Departments. I appreciate that the Food Standards Authority has overall responsibility but the Minister's Department will not take questions regarding Sudan Red 1. It makes it very difficult for spokespersons on agriculture to get a response on behalf of the consumer who is eating these products. Traceability is therefore a major issue.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I appreciate that but it is not really my responsibility. The Food Standards Authority of Ireland, FSAI, comes under the Department of Health and Children because traceability is a food safety and public health issue. We must tackle the labelling issue in many ways. To be able to see what is on the label would be a start. People must also understand what is on the label, which is what Deputy Upton is speaking of. There are methodologies by which we can identify country of origin with date and place of slaughter, which is important. It is on that basis that we will look at that type of information.

One of the major issues under the regulation is the transformation issue. I have indicated strongly that it is open to abuse, that it is not acceptable and that we are prepared to close it. I regret I cannot do much about the issue involving the FSAI but I reassure Deputy Upton that there is ongoing consultation between the FSAI and my Department on many issues, not necessarily on a weekly basis but very regularly.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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I am glad that attention has been given, as it needs to be, not just to labelling and traceability but also to the catering and restaurant business as that has been a glaring omission for a long time. Will the Minister say if the labelling reviews are looking at the need for a common label for Irish organic produce, which has suffered in marketing terms because of the diversity of labelling of food coming into the country and on Irish produce? I know that many organic producers have sought to have one label and I wonder what progress has been made on that.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I would like to see an increase in organic capacity and to see the price issue addressed, as no doubt would Deputy Sargent. The issue of labelling will be considered in the context of changes made. A labelling group made a number of recommendations which have now been addressed but there are still opportunities and a need for reorientation. Perhaps even the organic producers should consider a particular symbol with which they would be synonymous as a group. That may be a matter for the trade itself, but I know that trademarking, and having an affinity with something one can see, is as important as labelling. If we are to compete in the organic area, which I would like to see happening, we must look seriously at the cost issue and the disappointing fact that so much of the organic food consumed in Ireland is not grown here.