Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 572: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of organic operators registered with her Department in each of the years since and including 2000; the number of inspections that have taken place of such operators in each of the years in question; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14828/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table:

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 573: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the procedures in place to ensure that organic imports from non-EU countries without equivalence recognition are being produced under the same rules for organic produce as specified for Irish producers; if these procedures are employed before or after the product goes on sale here; if a record is kept of such products that do not meet this requirement or where products have been withdrawn or withheld; the areas in which such information is published; the number of products and producers banned or withheld in this fashion in each of the years since and including 2000 where figures are available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14829/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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At present there are six non-EU countries authorised by the Commission as having equivalent production rules and controls to the EU for certain categories of organic product. These products, provided they have been inspected and certified by an approved inspection body in the country of origin, may be brought freely into the EU and marketed as organic.

For all other third country imports, authorisation is granted, on a case-by-case basis, by the relevant competent authority, which in Ireland is my Department. An importer must be registered with a competent EU authority and subject to an inspection by an approved EU organic inspection body in the country of import. Registered importers must complete an application form and provide supporting documentation that will demonstrate that the products to be imported were produced to rules equivalent to those laid down in Articles 6 and 7 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 2092/91, which deals with the organic sector; were subject to inspection measures of equivalent effectiveness to those laid down in Articles 8 and 9 of the Council Regulation; and that such inspection measures will be permanently and effectively applied.

The member state must notify the Commission and the other member states of the third countries and products for which it has issued an authorisation. The products cannot be imported without this authorisation. The majority of third country imports are not imported directly into Ireland so the authorisations are made by the member state where the product is imported to first. To date, ten import authorisations have been granted by my Department and no organic product has been refused entry into Ireland.