Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 82: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the action she has taken to prevent importation of animal and plant disease; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38390/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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All live commercial animals imported into Ireland from either an EU member state or a third country must be accompanied by an official health certificate from the competent authority of the exporting country confirming that the animals have undergone all appropriate tests and have not come from an area affected by any animal disease. Veterinary inspection checks operate at all of Ireland's official border inspection posts to ensure imports meet physical, documentary and identity requirements.

I am satisfied that the protection measures in place are robust and comprehensive and minimise any possibility of any animal disease being introduced into Ireland. Such measures are kept under constant review and my Department will not hesitate to introduce any such additional measures as may be considered appropriate to an increased threat of animal disease being introduced to the country.

Detailed EU legislation lays down the conditions that member states must apply to the production of and trade in products of animal origin, including meat and meat extracts, as well as to imports of these products from third countries. Under harmonised legislation a series of health and supervisory requirements are applied in the member states to ensure that animal products are produced to standards that guarantee the safety of food and the protection of human and animal health. The application of these standards in the member states is monitored by the Food and Veterinary Office, FVO, of the EU. It is a requirement that animal products imported from third countries meet standards at least equivalent to those required for production in, and trade between, member states. All such imports must come from third countries or areas of third countries approved for export to the EU.

The FVO carries out inspections to ensure that only establishments that meet hygiene and health standards equivalent to those operating within the EU are approved. Where the FVO considers that public health requirements are not being met, an establishment may be removed from the EU approved list. If outbreaks of animal diseases occur in a third country approval to export to the EU is suspended for the infected regions of the country, or the whole country, as appropriate, until the disease risk has been eliminated.

With regard to preventing the importation of plant diseases, all plant importers, in accordance with EU and national legislation, must be registered and pre-notify my Department of consignments landed in the country and the relevant material is meticulously inspected for quarantine diseases, and if required, laboratory testing. Only after this process are they then cleared into general circulation. Surveys and inspections are conducted throughout the country for quarantine pests and diseases, in particular for those which Ireland has protected zone status. My Department actively participates in the work of the EU Standing Committee on Plant Health and other international plant health fora for the co-ordination of legislation and actions to prevent and-or limit the spread of plant diseases.