Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 275: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she has satisfied herself that all poultry sold and exported from here, with Ireland as the country of origin, was produced here; her views on whether some of the product was produced elsewhere; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39647/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The general food labelling legislation, as set out in EU Directive 2000/13/EC and implemented in this country by the European Communities (Labelling, Presentation and Advertising of Foodstuffs) 2003 regulations, S.I. 483/2002, requires that the labelling of foodstuffs must not mislead the consumer as to various properties of the food including origin. There is, therefore, a legal prohibition on claiming that any product, including poultry meat, is Irish if it is not. These rules apply throughout the Community.

The EU poultry meat marketing standards regulations require that all unprocessed poultry coming from a non-EU country must bear an indication of that country on its label. Officers of my Department check that this law is being complied with. There is no requirement to indicate the country of origin on poultry meat produced in an EU country. When such meat is imported into Ireland and is cut up and-or repackaged here before being placed on sale the poultry will be stamped with the oval IRL health mark. This is a requirement of veterinary legislation in place throughout the EU and an essential tool in facilitating traceability in the event, for example, of product recall. The IRL health mark must not be interpreted as an indication of Irish origin. Officials of my Department monitor the correct application of health marks to meat.