Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was surprised to learn the figure was as high as 40%. I knew it was significant but I had not realised that it was that high. The feedback from yesterday's meeting is that all sides were engaged. The relevant parties include the food and drink industry, IBEC, the IFA and all the various stakeholders referred to earlier. Those involved are trying to think outside the box. One option is an over-lay label that explains the context. In reality, if poultry has to stay inside, the produce will be deemed to be barn produced meat or eggs. An over-lay for free range stock temporarily confined could explain the position to the consumer. That option is being looked at.There have been a number of suggestions and these have been left for consideration and comment from all sectors, so it is an ongoing consultation. The officials in my Department tell me they expect to have fairly active engagement. As Senator Daly says, we have about four or five weeks before this becomes a live issue. There was significant hope that the migratory season would end and that would take it away. The concern is that the latest two outbreaks have been in resident species which, wild though they are, will not be going anywhere. It is important that we contain it.

The problem with letting them out before we know we are safe is that if there is an outbreak in the flock, one is wiped out for a period of production time. That is nearly a bigger consequence than loss of free range status. If this were to go on, it would be important that the industry and retailers would work together in order that consumers would know exactly what they were buying and that they were produced from free range animals. We are not going to have competitors from outside the country coming in and taking the market, because they have had to confront this problem before us. That is the reason they have already been to the Commission, because their 12 weeks is due to expire or maybe has expired in some cases. As I said, it is affecting other countries in Europe worse than it is affecting us.