Results 16,021-16,040 of 18,347 for speaker:Brendan Smith

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: We have to be accurate in this regard.

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I want to give clarification on the last point. The information that was put in the public domain originated from the analysis, work, research and testing carried out by our authority. On Saturday the rapid alert system kicked in and all member states were alerted. However, all member states received the contents of our statement of Thursday evening. Subsequently — sometime on Friday...

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I was not aware of any statement on the beef issue. We only got the results back from the FSAI just before lunchtime and we put them in the public domain right away. I believe it was very important to reassure our consumers and the people involved in the beef industry. The very strong confirmation from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland of no risk to public health from beef was very...

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I agree with the Deputy on her last point. On Sunday Bord Bia started to work on a new labelling system to allow people see that it was Irish pork post the recall — if one wants to call it that — on 7 December. As I said earlier to the Deputy's colleagues, we immediately put in place a trader notice on Sunday indicating that people could resume processing and moving product, obviously...

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I understand the difficulty. The Deputy's constituency colleague, the Taoiseach, and I met the processors twice.

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: There is also a Cavan connection with Rosderra Meats, as Deputy Ó Caoláin said.

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: We spoke at a very senior level to representatives of the European Commission yesterday. If a Government programme is put in place we will need to get state aid approval anyway. We outlined to the European Commission that this is an emergency that is outside the control of the particular industry. We outlined that we would naturally seek support for aid to private storage and that we would...

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I disagree with Deputy Tom Hayes. We made the correct decision. It was a very difficult decision to make — it was difficult for the industry, our country and everybody involved. However, we made the correct decision and I stand over it, as does the Government. Every party representative I know who spoke on behalf of his or her party echoed that strongly on Saturday night. Earlier I...

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I want to see as much Irish food as possible consumed on our island and elsewhere, but the reassuring message that goes out to our consumers about the quality of our food is very important. I heard comments from eminent scientists and medical people in the international media over the weekend, and every one of those eminent people said the Irish Government made the correct decision, although...

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: If Deputy Tom Hayes thinks product is coming in illegally or wrongly marked, he should talk to my office and I will be glad to pursue that matter.

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I thank Deputy Johnny Brady. The plant at the centre of this has been closed since last Wednesday. We have been discussing the aid for private storage with the European Commission since yesterday. I have to talk to some of the senior people in the Commission again this evening. I got some indication, although I do not have confirmation, that some of the small processors have recommenced...

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: A validation process is in place. That is why I said we sent it out to the trade on Sunday evening.

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: If processor X sources a supply of pigs from farm Y, and farm Y can validly prove to the Department veterinary people and the FSAI——

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: ——that it has sourced pigs that had no connection with any of the farms or any of that feed, those people have the potential to be back in operation since Monday morning. That is very important. The trade notice that was issued stated: All pigmeat and pigmeat products produced from Irish pigs slaughtered from 7 December 2008 must be labelled in a manner that distinguishes it from other...

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am talking about facilitating the people who slaughter. The trade notice also stated: "As and from 7 December 2008, pigs may not be slaughtered unless they are accompanied by a document indicating the source(s) of the animal feed used in the holding of origin." That clarification went out on Sunday evening or night to the trade. In response to Deputy Johnny Brady, I said earlier that...

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The Dutch authorities contacted the Department and the FSAI on Friday evening, subsequent to our Department's publication of the notice that we had restricted farms. The communication came from the Dutch authorities on the Friday to both the Department and the FSAI.

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: Sorry — the question referred to the domestic context. The Department communicated with the FSAI from the first indication of worry. The chief medical officer at the Department of Health and Children was involved from Saturday morning. The man only took up his job on Thursday, but he was contacted. The FSAI has been in contact with the European Food Safety Authority. On Saturday we...

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: It was finished on Monday. To clarify, a few different prototype labels were made, and I saw them on Monday.

Recall of Irish Pork and Bacon Products: Statements (9 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: I am glad to have the opportunity to make a comprehensive statement relating to the circumstances that led to the weekend's recall of all Irish pork and bacon products and the developments since then. The focus of my statement will primarily be on the role of my Department, while my colleague, the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Deputy Mary Wallace,...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Dec 2008)

Brendan Smith: The person named finished his contract in REPS 2 on 30 September 2007 and received all payments due under that contract, and has since applied for REPS 4. REPS 4 is a measure under the current Rural Development Programme 2007-13 and is subject to different EU Regulations from the preceding versions of REPS. Under REPS 4, all payments are to be made in just two instalments. The first payment,...