Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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Question 289: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her plans for legislation imposing country of origin labelling on all meat, fish and food produce sold here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7378/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The enforcement of all food labelling regulations has been centralised in the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, FSAI, in accordance with one of the recommendations of the food labelling group. This work is carried out through a number service contracts between the FSAI and other Departments and agencies including my own Department. The Department of Health and Children is responsible for general food labelling regulations, the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources has responsibility for the labelling of fish and my Department is responsible for the labelling of specific food products including beef and poultry meat at processing plants.

An enabling provision to allow for the extension of existing comprehensive beef labelling regulations to include a requirement for information on the country of origin of beef to be provided to the consumer at the point of choice, by establishments in the retail, restaurant and catering sectors, including food business operators, is at present before the Oireachtas by way of a proposed amendment to section 54 of the 1947 Health Act through the Irish Medicines Board (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill. My Department is well advanced in drafting the consequential beef regulations which will be required and is currently in consultation with the Department of Health and Children and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland on the details, including enforcement. While the regulations will then have to be submitted for EU approval, it is hoped that this process will not delay the making of the final regulations. In the meantime, the representative bodies for hotels, restaurants and pubs have agreed to recommend to their members to provide the information on a voluntary basis.

While the proposed enabling legislation currently before the Oireachtas will facilitate the extension of country of origin labelling to all meats, because of different traceability systems and some import-export complexities, it is not as straightforward as it is for beef. As with beef, EU approval would also be required. Notwithstanding these issues, I intend to pursue the matter of country of origin labelling at EU and national level.