Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 465: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food if she or her Department adequately monitor the quality and quantity of meat and other food products imported into Ireland and that same are compliant with EU standards in terms of husbandry, production and processing, storage and transportation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4111/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Detailed EU legislation lays down the conditions that Member States must apply to the production of and trade in products of animal origin as well as to imports of these products from third countries.

It is a requirement that animal products imported from third countries meet standards at least equivalent to those required for production in, and trade between, Member States. All such imports must come from third countries or areas of third countries approved for export to the EU.

My Department has responsibility for operation of public and animal health control in the area of third country import of food of animal origin, including meat. These are carried out in co-operation with Customs Service. For imports of fish and fishery products it has also facilitated the operation of these controls at its Border Inspection Posts in co-operation with the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources.

Import control forms a part of the EU's integrated policy of guaranteeing that the food produced and placed on to the market is safe and that animal and public health is not put at risk. They are a part of the EU's hygiene package the implementation and monitoring of which is carried out by the relevant competent agencies under Service Contracts by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland since 1999.

The EU Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) carries out inspections to ensure that only establishments that meet hygiene and health standards equivalent to those operating within the EU are approved. Where the FVO considers that public health requirements are not being met, an establishment may be removed from the EU approved list. If outbreaks of animal diseases occur in a third country approval to export to the EU is suspended for the infected regions of the country, or the whole country, as appropriate, until the disease risk has been eliminated.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 466: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the countries from which lamb has been imported into Ireland in the past five years; the extent to which this has increased or otherwise over the period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4112/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Imports of Sheep meat over the last five years are as shown in the table below: