Results 1-20 of 29 for sfpa segment:7932733

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

Michael Collins: ...asked to issue a request through the Oireachtas committee, although it might be difficult in this pandemic time, for us to be able to visit processing plants with representatives of the EU, the SFPA, the Department and so on to let everyone have their say. The exact same thing is suggested for whitefish, shellfish, lobster, shrimp and crab and it would be good for them to visit co-ops in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

Martin Browne: ...of justice. I assure Mr. Murphy also, and I would say I speak for all committee members, that we believe the leaks going on are totally unacceptable, especially given the witnesses tell us the SFPA is not even communicating with them. I wish briefly to raise three things. The first is for the Killybegs contingent. They heard the reply we got from the SFPA earlier about the weighing...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

...ask who benefited from the data leaks that were given to the three major news organisations. It certainly was not the fishing industry. I would like to make a point on the weighing system. The SFPA expressed serious doubts about the weighing system in the factories. The type of weighing system that exists in the factories in Ireland is exactly the same as what is in factories in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: ...the fish go over is state of the art. It is virtually impossible to tamper with it. It is sealed. There is closed-circuit television. The weighing system is monitored round the clock by the SFPA. Therefore, the SFPA has its eyes on it. It is a National Standards Authority of Ireland, NSAI, weighing system. That authority can inspect it at any time. That is the front-of-house...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

Thomas Pringle: I thank Dr. Steele and the other members of the SFPA for attending here. I would like to read one paragraph of the document they submitted to the committee and ask a question. It states: ... commission identified that the operators did not have in place a "weighing system fit for purpose" and the audit identified manipulation of weighing systems. Moreover, although aware of these...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I will give Mr. Murphy another chance to take the floor so he can continue his soliloquy in a moment. I know most of our guests were probably tuned in to the previous session with the SFPA. There is an opportunity now to answer, clarify, or correct some of the statements made by the SFPA, or agree with them, whichever way you want to look at it. Deputy Collins touched on the fact that the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

...the Commission at this time. That is what I can say on the first matter that was raised about the weighing equipment that is currently on the pier in Killybegs. In terms of the mandate of the SFPA and it covering quality and control, in the significant mandate of the SFPA that was described, that I gave in my opening statement and went through it earlier, and I am conscious of time so we...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

Dr. Susan Steele: The SFPA takes its data protection commitments seriously. In any situation where data have been leaked, we have taken it seriously. Regarding the audit and the administrative inquiry, the SFPA is bound by legislation to carry out the administrative inquiry. It is not that we choose to carry it out. Rather, following an audit, the Commission will request an...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

...our fears that 20% of our natural resource would be given away. For this issue to arise on top of that is crushing for our industry. It is hard for our coastal communities. I understand the SFPA has a job to do but we do not agree with the way it is being applied. We have pointed out in our submissions that there must be a procedure here. There must be time to lead into this new...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I thank Dr. Steele. Apparently, the European Commission audit that was made available to the SFPA and the Government in 2018 covers the period from 2012 to early 2015. This audit was presented to the SFPA, which then chose to carry out an administrative inquiry. I am not sure about the SFPA's administrative inquiry, but the audit has been leaked to a range of national media. There have...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

Dr. Susan Steele: I thank Deputy Pringle. I am conscious that we are eating into time and I will be as quick as I can on these. On the manipulation of scales, where there have been cases, the SFPA has prepared cases for the DPP. One case has gone through the courts and another case has not gone through the courts. However, these cases, in the view of the Commission and in the view of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

Michael Collins: ...my questions to a minimum, in contrast to the last time. I thank all our guests, including Mr. Murphy, Mr. O'Donoghue, Mr. McHugh, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Byrne and Mr. Ward. The representatives of the SFPA, who were before us previously, have said they are consulting the industry. That is not right, in my mind, because of the weighing crisis we have now. At 4 p.m. on 16 April, nobody seemed to...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

...responsibility of the operator. The law states that all wild-caught fisheries products must be weighed at landing before transport, and there are a number of potential derogations. In 2012, the SFPA submitted and obtained Commission approval for derogations and there were five separate plans that we submitted at that point. These were a control plan, two sampling plans and common...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

...this is an EU decision. The removal of the control plan was a removal of a derogation that Ireland had. This decision, through the EU, involves significant changes to weighing practice and the SFPA is working to ensure the industry can introduce them efficiently and in a way that assures compliance with the regulations. We are working with Union Hall through the Clonakilty port office...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

Dr. Susan Steele: I will answer, although I see that Mr. Kinneen also wants to contribute. It has been stated on the record that the SFPA strongly supports the publication of all Directorate General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, DG MARE, audits of all member states and third countries. When we deal with audits of food controls by the Directorate General for Health and Food Safety, DG...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

Martin Browne: Deputy Mac Lochlainn covered two of the questions I wanted to ask. On the issue of Killybegs, the SFPA was initially involved with the terms of reference and the planning and design of the system, yet it is now saying it is not up to scratch and has refused to authorise it. Why is that? Let me return to a point raised by Deputy Mac Lochlainn. Surely it is crazy that the fishing industry...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Does the SFPA believe that a person or persons facing charges that impact on their reputations and livelihoods have a right to be presented with the evidence so that they can defend themselves?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

Jackie Cahill: They wanted to hear the SFPA first so they could comment on what was said. A number of witnesses want to reply but, unfortunately, I will have to guillotine proceedings very shortly. I will let Mr. Ward in - he has not spoken previously - to respond to Senator Lombard's questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

Mr. Brendan Byrne: To respond to the question Deputy Mac Lochlainn asked, in fairness to him, in his earlier question to the SFPA he outlined the robustness of the control measures in place right across the sector. Before I go into the detail of the answer, however, we have to address the reality of where we find ourselves as processors and exporters. Our entire world has been thrown...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Fishing Industry: Discussion (11 May 2021)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: ...would damage his or her reputation or livelihood would expect the evidence that had led to those charges to be presented to him or her so that the person could defend himself or herself. Does the SFPA agree with that as a right or as a principle of law?