Dáil debates

Wednesday, 21 November 2007

3:00 pm

Photo of Andrew DoyleAndrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 50: To ask the Minister for Health and Children her plans to enforce the food labelling regulations regarding country of origin in the wholesale and retail sectors. [27007/07]

Photo of Andrew DoyleAndrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 56: To ask the Minister for Health and Children the resources available to enforce the regulations on food labelling, including ingredient list requirements and country of origin requirements, in terms of manpower and budget. [27006/07]

Photo of Pat GallagherPat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 56 together.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland is responsible for enforcing food law, including the Health (Country of Origin of Beef) Regulations 2006, SI 307 of 2006, which were amended in February 2007. These regulations are enforced by environmental health officers of the Health Service Executive on foot of a service contract with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. Approximately 400 environmental health officers work on the enforcement of food legislation.

Checks on compliance with food labelling, including the Health (Country of Origin of Beef) Regulations 2006, are undertaken in conjunction with routine hygiene inspections. Accordingly, it is not anticipated that additional costs will be incurred. I am advised that the number of inspectors and level of inspection to implement these regulations is sufficient.

Guidelines for the implementation of the regulations have been issued to the HSE and an explanatory leaflet has been circulated by the HSE to food business operators. The Deputy may wish to note that these regulations do not relate to food safety but rather to consumer information.

Photo of Caoimhghín Ó CaoláinCaoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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What steps do the Minister of State and the Department propose to take with regard to the mislabelling of food products imported to this country and represented to the consumer as Irish in origin when clearly they are not? A substantial amount of meat produce circulating in supermarket chains here is labelled as Irish or EU but does not come from the European market. It is imported into the European market and presented as EU produce and then imported into Ireland and repackaged and presented as Irish in origin. A great deal of information is available on this. What is the Department doing to stamp out this practice? Does the Minister of State agree it is pointless to have labelling if we cannot have confidence in what the labelling tells us?

Is there a degree of hypocrisy in addressing the issue of labelling when significant elements of the State's services, specifically areas of the health services, directly purchase food products from outside the European Union for the requirements of people here? We must lead by example and present the Irish people with food products in which they can have confidence and those grown at home are the best.

Photo of Pat GallagherPat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Legislation is in place to deal with mislabelling and I and departmental officials are anxious to obtain information on mislabelling. I have no reason to doubt what Deputy Ó Caoláin stated and I assure him it will be dealt with. There is no question of environmental health officers or the Food Safety Authority of Ireland ignoring this. If it is brought to the attention of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland or detected by any of the 400 environmental health officers carrying out routine inspections, it will be dealt with under existing legislation. In regard to State bodies purchasing from outside the EU, these organisations are bound by public procurement regulations.

Photo of Finian McGrathFinian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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The enforcement of food labelling regulations is a cause of significant concern among consumers. In regard to the wider debate on the connection between diet, food and cancer deaths, does the Minister of State accept that serious questions are being asked, particularly by the medical professions, and that citizens are becoming as worried as they are about alcohol and smoking? Is he aware of these concerns?

Photo of Pat GallagherPat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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All ingredients should be listed on the label so that people can make a choice. The issue of dietary requirements is also important in the context of health. There is no question of the FSAI suggesting those with responsibility for labelling should not provide all the necessary information. We have taken a recent initiative in regard to labelling country of origin for poultry, pork and mutton after consulting the relevant parties. However, we will have to share our views with the European Union, which will make a unanimous decision on the matter. We are preparing the appropriate provisions and within a matter of months will present our proposals to the EU. However, we will need the support of 24 other member states if we are to be successful.

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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In regard to meat, what is the point of imposing standards on Irish farmers for places of origin and antibiotics when imported Brazilian beef is not subject to the same stringent requirements? We do not know where it comes from, other than a large continental area called Brazil, nor do we know the conditions in which the cattle were reared.

Photo of Pat GallagherPat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that regulations and statutory instruments require Brazilian beef to carry country of origin labels when it is sold in this country.

Photo of James ReillyJames Reilly (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
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What about hormones and antibiotic use?

Photo of Pat GallagherPat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I have responsibility for the matter. We are holding consultations on it to ensure Irish consumers can have confidence in the food they eat.