Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 6: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the reason an estimated 16,000 to 20,000 tonnes of Brazilian beef is imported here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38451/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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While imports of beef into Ireland in 2004 amounted to 22,881 tonnes, beef exports of almost 500,000 tonnes were made from Ireland to worldwide destinations. Accordingly, Ireland supports a system that facilitates orderly trade while taking account of animal health.

The operation of harmonised EU legislation governing animal health, production and trade in animal products such as meat, takes account of the EU negotiated position within the WTO. The principle is that imported animal products meet standards at least equivalent to those required for production in, and trade between, member states. Imports of animal products must come from third countries or areas of third countries that are members of the International Organisation for Animal Health, OIE, and that have been approved for each particular animal product to export to the EU.

Where an animal disease outbreak occurs in an approved third country it must be notified to the OIE. Where there are risks for the Community in terms of public health or economic production, the Commission will immediately deal with the issue at the standing committee on the food chain and animal health, SCoFCAH, and table proposals appropriate to remove any risks arising from trade.

I fully support the policy that animal products imported into the EU from third countries meet standards at least equivalent to those required for production in, and trade between, EU member states. Irish farmers are required to ensure their production systems and farm practices fully comply with a wide range of EU directives on important matters including traceability, animal health and welfare and consumer protection.

As I indicated in my previous reply, I wrote to the Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, Mr. Markos Kyprianou, on these issues and he indicated that his service is committed to protect the health of European consumers and livestock. He also assured me that the Commission will not hesitate to take appropriate protection measures if a product imported from a third country or produced in the domestic market represents a risk for the health of EC consumers, livestock or plants.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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I wish to ask the Minister questions on three aspects of this. Does the Minister agree the price of Irish beef has been adversely affected by the flood, in comparative terms to other beef imports, of imports from Brazil? The IFA estimates the impact was a price reduction of the order of €130 per head in June, July, August and September. Since the partial ban was imposed in early October, prices recovered by approximately €60 or €70 per head. Does the Minister agree with that estimation?

Closer to the heart of what we are dealing with is traceability. I heard the Minister state that Irish farmers are expected to comply with the highest of standards and Irish farmers agree with and support that. Is there any impediment to ensuring traceability in the catering sector to the same extent as the retail sector, so people in the catering sector are forced to declare they are selling Brazilian beef? Why is that not done? It seems it needs to be done.

Champions of free trade such as the US and Japan have a total ban on Brazilian beef. From a health point of view, should we have a total ban while there is foot and mouth disease in Brazil?

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The questions cover a number of issues. These are the concerns expressed regarding the WTO negotiations. Labelling is extremely important. It was available and is available in the retail sector. It is not available and has not been available in the catering or food production sector. That will change through legislative measures that hopefully come before the House soon. I agree——

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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That is a broken record. The Minister stated that last January.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The broken record is sitting in the Seanad. If Deputy Naughten has a problem with the Seanad he should take it up with his Senators. They all agreed that this Bill should be implemented as quickly as possible. We are all in agreement. It will happen and I will take a strict approach to the labelling of beef and this will continue to other products.

Equivalence and equality are the issues. I have raised the concerns we all have on traceability, identification and residues with the Commissioner. As I indicated in my response, the FVO is dealing with it.

The overall problem is that within the European Union we have a beef deficit. Banning the importation of beef would be problematic from a food availability point of view. That said, I feel if we introduce measures to ensure people are aware and consumers are informed, they will make choices. The issue of the price of beef is equally important to us. I have a problem with other countries, particularly the United States, telling us we must import Brazilian beef while they are not prepared to do so, nor are they prepared to allow us to export our beef to the United States, Japan or North Korea. This is the main issue with which we need to deal at WTO level.

I am not in a position to fully ban beef from Brazil on the basis that it is regionalised. During the foot and mouth disease crisis here, we used regionalisation to ensure we had a continuity of production available to the market.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I wish the Minister well in the WTO negotiations. If they do not go well we will not have an industry. I am extremely frightened to hear the Minister state that traceability is not important if beef is scarce.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I never said that.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The Minister indicated that if we have a deficit——

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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The Deputy must ask a question. We are running out of time.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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The bottom line is that 28 known cases of foot and mouth disease occurred in Brazil. The US, Japan, Australia and other countries have blocked imports of Brazilian beef. Will we continue to allow it into our country?

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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The time has concluded.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Is there any control on slaughterhouses? When we sell beef to Egypt we must allow Egyptian vets into our slaughterhouses.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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We are over time on this question.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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My final question is——

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Sorry, Deputy——

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Do we rely on the food and veterinary officers of the EU based in Grange? They stated no traceability existed in Brazil during the past 12 months. Is this acceptable?

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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I want to make a point before the Minister answers. If Deputies go over time and continue to ask questions, it is only fair that the Minister should be given time to answer the questions. There will be no time for supplementary questions if we allow one Deputy to monopolise.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Not even the questioner.

Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I am sorry I asked a question at all. I apologise.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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We are all getting tetchy today. A feed of Irish beef will do us all the world of good. We must not have had lunch today.

On the basis of the concerns expressed by my parliamentary party, Members of the House and members of farming organisations, I raised this issue with the Commissioner. As I stated, the FVO is investigating it and will report shortly to the Commissioner, who has given his indications to me in writing.

I did not state that traceability, food safety and food security are not important. If we are to have a balanced outcome in the WTO negotiations, it must be reflected in equal access to the markets. This is why I am concerned about the current unbalanced proposal.

We must deal with a matter about which many people do not want to hear. I recently met my Italian colleague, who is interested in the support of Irish beef in the retail sector, and we are doing well at that level. He told me he wishes to import a considerable amount of Brazilian beef for the catering and manufacturing sectors on the basis of price. That is a major difficulty for us.

On the basis of regionalisation it is a policy we used and it would be erroneous for me to suggest we should not pursue that.

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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All our cattle are tagged. That is the major difference.

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I have expressed our concerns to the highest level and I will continue to do so while awaiting a report from the Commissioner.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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We have spent ten minutes on that question so I cannot allow Deputy Sargent to contribute further.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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It is a vital question.

Rory O'Hanlon (Cavan-Monaghan, Ceann Comhairle)
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Some weeks ago Members who sat in this House for more than one and a quarter hours did not have their questions answered. The Chair has an obligation to move the questions forward and this is the reason the Chair is particular about time.