Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 105: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she is satisfied that all meat and meat products sold here are labelled accurately to reflect their country of origin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6930/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The general labelling regulations covering all food sold in Ireland require that the information be given clearly, accurately and in a language understood by the consumer.

European Directive 2000/13/EC on the labelling of foodstuffs requires pre-packaged foodstuffs to carry information on the source or place of origin only where its absence might mislead the consumer to a material degree on the origin of foodstuffs or their raw materials.

The Community labelling requirements apply to all meat products and are compulsory in all member states. In addition, there are further labelling requirements that apply to beef sold at retail level regardless of whether that beef was produced within the community or in a third country. Where beef is imported into the community from a third country that beef must, at a minimum, be labelled as "Origin: non-EC" along with an indication of the third country in which slaughter took place. This detailed labelling system for beef sold at retail level, goes beyond the general labelling legislation provisions.

While these EU regulations do not apply at restaurant and catering sector level, it is my intention to proceed with a national legal requirement that country of origin must be displayed in respect of beef sold in such premises and outlets, and I have raised this with the Commission. I am in consultation with my colleague the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children with regard to framing a suitable legal text within which to implement these requirements and proposals to this effect will be brought forward once the legal options allowing for this development have been fully examined. In this regard also I am examining the scope for extending origin labelling to other meat products.

On a general level, I believe consumers should be given maximum information on the origin of the food they are purchasing. I have this week along with other member states urged the Commission to examine EU labelling provisions to facilitate this, and in doing so, indicated the particular need for attention to be paid to the origin of poultry imports to the EU. In this context, regulations requiring poultry meat originating in a county outside the EU to bear an indication of the country of origin when offered for sale in a retail premises were introduced in Ireland last year.