Written answers

Tuesday, 20 June 2006

Department of Agriculture and Food

Food Safety

10:00 pm

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 369: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the amount of illegal foods confiscated by the inspectors at airports and ports here to date in 2006; the comparable figures for 2005; the respective number of seizures, bags searched and passengers questioned; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23551/06]

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 370: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the estimated percentage of illegally imported foods which are confiscated at ports and airports here; her plans to place amnesty bins at ports and airports or to train sniffer dogs to identify such products; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23552/06]

Photo of Denis NaughtenDenis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 371: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her plans to complete a full risk assessment on illegal food and meat imports into the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23553/06]

Photo of Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 369 to 371, inclusive, together.

Community rules have been established to ensure the protection of animal and public health in the importation of animal products into the EU. These harmonized controls are applied at the main points of entry into the EU at approved Border Inspection Posts (BIP). Importers are required to demonstrate compliance with the requirements that such products have been sourced in approved countries from approved establishments, that they travel with the required health certification issued by the competent authorities of the exporting country and that prior notice of import has been given to the BIP at which entry into the EU is proposed. They also apply in the case of the personal import of animal products from third countries for one's own personal consumption. In such cases they may only be released on to the market where they have undergone BIP control and are accompanied by the Common Veterinary Entry Document (CVED) endorsed by the BIP veterinary officer.

Application of these EU controls is risk based and they are operated in close co-operation with the Customs services. BIPs would also assess for risks and carry out their random controls on consignments based on experience, instances of previous non-compliance in relation to importers, countries of origin, particular animal products as well as on consignments where no declaration of animal product content is provided. Commercial consignments seized at Irish BIPs for return to the country of origin or destruction at the importers expense have been recorded as follows:

Year Total Number of Seized Consignments Total Quantity of Animal Products Seized (kgs.)
2005 21 37,110.12
2006 to 31 May 19 56,942.5

To enforce its personal import rules the EU has regulated that at all points of entry into the EU a general ban on passengers importing meat and meat products and milk and milk products be applied, that this ban be brought to the attention of passengers and that Member States operate controls on the personal baggage of passengers arriving into the EU at these points. Transport operators who bring passengers from third countries into the EU are required to bring these regulations, including the ban, to the attention of passengers. Announcements are made on airlines and posters are on display at arrivals halls in airports and at the disembarkation points for sea passengers. Amnesty bins have been provided in the main airports for surrender of any animal product that has been inadvertently carried. My Department has put information on to its web site and transport operators, foreign embassies accredited to this country and Irish embassies abroad have been requested to inform travellers to this country and have been invited to include a link to my Department's web page.

Officers of my Department are deployed to carry out passenger interviews and bag searches on a random basis at ports and airports where travellers from third countries arrive. This approach is risk based and is intended to focus on in the identification of passengers coming to this country from third countries as most of these arrive here through hub airports located in other Member States of the EU. My Department is also considering extension of the personal baggage import control through the deployment of a specially trained dog and its handler. The interception of illegal imports from passengers whose journeys commenced within the EU is also carried out. The following activities associated with this deployment have been recorded:

Year Number of Passengers Interviewed Number of Bags Searched Number of Food Seizures Quantity Seized (kgs.)
2005 58,884 14,183 1,175 5,156.75
2006* 30,278 6,739 792 4,310.5
*To 31 May 2006.

The Commission also monitors operation of personal import controls by the Member States through its Food and Veterinary Office (FVO). It is considering proposals including the introduction of a requirement for a written declaration to be made by each third country originating passenger concerning meat and milk products in their personal possession and extending the personal import ban to cover egg and egg products. Currently import of such animal products are banned under the EU Safeguard Decisions imposed wherever outbreaks of high pathogenic avian influenza are suspected or have occurred in third countries.

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