Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 159: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the Government's response to the three questions submitted by the European Commission to the UK authorities on 12 July 2006 on practices in the dairy sector in the UK and which were then submitted to other EU member states for response; her view of the divergence of opinion (details supplied) between the European Commission and the UK authorities subsequent to the exposure of the findings of a UK Food Standards Agency inspection mission carried out on 9 June 2006 in a UK dairy establishment, which is suspected of placing on the Community market large volume of cheese and cheese curd made from raw material unfit for human consumption; her further views on whether there are implications arising from this exposure for Irish consumers and for industrial concerns here; if her attention has been drawn to establishments here which might be processing distressed milk into cheese curd or cheese cleaning; if her further attention has been drawn to Irish companies participating in the trade of waste, contaminated cheese, reclaim milk from milk collectors and milk-processing establishments industry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32896/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCOFCAH), the EU Commission, on 13th October 2006 adopted a Decision addressed to Member States prohibiting the placing on the market of all curd cheese manufactured by Bowland Dairy Products Limited, a UK based company. The Decision also required that Member States shall trace, detain and dispose of all remaining quantities of curd cheese of that origin. Ireland supported the proposal of the Commission and is complying fully with the Decision.

Authorised officers of my Department have identified and traced all products covered by the Decision. These products were either returned to the consigner prior to the Decision of the Commission or have otherwise been detained. Arrangements for the disposal of these products are being made. I can also confirm that there are no establishments in Ireland processing distressed milk into cheese, cheese curd or any other dairy product, nor is reclaim milk used in the milk processing industry in Ireland.

The Deputy asked how the Irish authorities responded to the three questions posed by the Commission to Member States generally. In response, Ireland confirmed that the use of milk, which has reacted positively to a screening test for the detection of antibiotics, is not allowed in the manufacture of cheese or other dairy products. Secondly, the use of milk mixed with water and possibly detergents, which has come from the cleaning of the piping system, is not allowed in the manufacture of a product for human consumption. Thirdly, cheese from which mould has been removed is permitted in the manufacture of processed cheese under strict conditions. These are that the operation must take place in an approved establishment under the control of my Department and such products must be tested to the standards that apply to all cheese for human consumption before being used in processing. My Department is maintaining regular contact with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland in this matter.