Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I do not wish to sound as though I am repeating the comments of Senator Leyden, but I am very upset about the comments made by the chief executive of Iceland and some others regarding the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. The authority has worked hard and has made a great breakthrough in what has become a worldwide crisis relating to the food we eat, especially processed food. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has led the way and behaved in a calm and co-ordinated fashion. It never jumped up and down but has simply kept on doing the hard work and doing it well. We owe the authority a debt of gratitude - these are not words I use lightly or often. Those who choose to shoot the messenger should perhaps look to themselves in the first instance.

I know the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine is busy and that this matter is taking up his time. However, given the stories and rumours I am hearing behind the scenes with regard to Ireland's involvement in the scandal of horsemeat in processed food, I would very much appreciate it if the Minister came to the House. We should reiterate our request to have him here given the even more serious nature of the crisis now as it extends beyond Europe.