Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 29: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the way in which and the reason food and food products imported from non-EU countries are being re-labelled and sold here under labels indicating Irish origin with particular reference to the poultry sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18821/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Food business operators who mislead consumers in believing that food which is not of Irish origin is Irish may be committing an offence under existing food labelling legislation. Any such instances should be brought to the attention of the FSAI which is the central authority for the enforcement of food labelling.

'Substantial transformation' is a procedure used in normal business operations to allow operators to declare goods as being manufactured in the country where considerable processing has taken place. I am very concerned that this practice might be used to mislead consumers as to the origin of the product. I have raised this issue directly with the Commission on a number of occasions and indeed have been in contact with the EU Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, Mr. Kyprianou again earlier this year about the matter.

Subsequently the Commission decided to review EU labelling. In this context the Commission recently published a consultative document on 'Labelling: Competitiveness, Consumer Information and Better Regulation in the EU' and invited Member States for submissions by mid June 2006. My Department is currently preparing a submission in which we will again raise this matter.