Jim O'Keeffe (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 181: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her plans to establish an all island food label; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3581/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I am supportive of initiatives to promote food on all-island basis where this is of mutual benefit and leads to closer economic co-operation. The development of an all-island animal health policy is a necessary prerequisite to the establishment of an all-island food label. The development of the animal health policy is being actively pursued in the context of North/South co-operation. In addition an all-island food label would require negotiation between the relevant authorities regarding its status and conditions for use and general acceptance from consumers and buy-in by producers and processors island-wide.

A Memorandum of Agreement was finalised between Bord Bia and Invest Northern Ireland (INI) in November 2006 to provide for structured ongoing co-operation in food promotion at International Trade Fairs, retail promotions on the UK market, co-operation on developing the speciality sector on an all island basis and market research and intelligence.

Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 182: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the steps she is taking to extend country of origin labelling in the catering trade to lamb, pigmeat and chicken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3570/07

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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All beef sold or served in the retail or catering sector is now required by law to carry an indication of country of origin. There are EU Regulations, which provide for the labelling of unprocessed poultrymeat at retail level. The information which these regulations require on the label includes the registered number of the slaughterhouse or cutting plant and, where imported from a Third Country, an indication of country of origin. There are no specific EU regulations governing the labelling of pigmeat or sheepmeat beyond the general food labelling regulations, which do not require 'country of origin' information.

The general EU food labelling regulations covering all food sold in Ireland require that the information be given clearly, accurately and in a language understood by the consumer. Among these requirements is origin marking in cases where failure to provide such information would be likely to mislead the consumer to a material degree. This legislation comes under the remit of the Department of Health and Children.

The primary legislation enacted by the Oireachtas last year, under which our beef labelling requirements on country of origin were extended to the catering sector also allows for the extension of country of origin labelling to other meats. However, because different origin labelling requirements apply to other meats in the retail sector under current EU legislation and, different systems of traceability are in operation coupled with some import/export complexities, it is not as straightforward as it is for beef. The European Commission, the Deputy will be aware, has opposed Member States introducing legislation in this area that is in excess of common EU requirements. Nonetheless, my Department has been involved in consultations with the Department of Health and Children on draft new regulations to require operators in the retail and catering sectors to provide country of origin information on poultrymeat, pigmeat and sheepmeat. It is my intention to submit these regulations, when they are finalised, to the European Commission for approval as required by EU legislation.

Of course, the preferred way forward is that the Commission would progress the question of country of origin labelling of all meat at EU level. I have been in regular contact with the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection on this subject. I have also raised this issue in the Agriculture Council and will continue to take every opportunity to press for progress on this matter. I have used the opportunity provided by bilateral meetings with EU Ministerial colleagues to seek their support for EU action on Country of Origin Labelling and so far have been encouraged by their response.

Last year the Health and Consumer Protection Directorate of the European Commission undertook a consultative process on a wide range of issues in this area, under a document entitled 'Labelling: Competitiveness, Consumer Information and Better Regulation for the EU'. I arranged for my Department to make a submission on food labelling and country of origin labelling of meat in particular to the Department of Health and Children, who co-ordinated the Irish contribution to this process. This confirmed my strong preference for origin labelling of meat and meat products and the desirability of there being common EU-wide legislation to support a labelling regime.