Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the categories of establishments for inspection and sampling purposes; the number of establishments her Department is responsible for inspecting; the number of establishments in each inspection category; the number of inspections of establishments in each of the inspection categories which were carried out during 2005 and 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9086/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The total number of food premises under the supervision of my Department was 771 in 2005 and 794 in 2006. The total number of inspections carried out in 2005 was 2,759 and 16,663 in 2006. The apparent dramatic increase in inspections is mainly due to changes in the reporting formats over the two years in question. Up to 2005, statistics were compiled on a basis of inspections by regional and national supervisory officers of the Department. Following the adoption of the EU Hygiene Package, the changes in collection and reporting of statistical data were changed to include day to day inspections carried out at meat plants, by Departments inspectors primarily based at the plants.

All DAF approved plants are subject to risk assessment. Each risk criterion is scored and the overall score determines the frequency of inspection to be undertaken at a plant in the course of a particular year.

The main risk criteria used are as follows:

Compliance history;

Effectiveness of plant's own checks programme — Hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) prerequisites;

The type of product processed and manufacturing process;

Plant throughput; and

General view of the inspecting officer in relation to overall implementation of the plant food safety management system.

At any time during the year the frequency can be amended to reflect changing circumstances in the establishment.

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
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Question 64: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food when her attention was drawn to the fact that a consignment of 17 tonnes of illegal poultry from China was apparently seized at Belfast port in August 2005; the steps she has taken to ensure that such consignments do not enter the food chain here. [9104/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy is referring to control operation carried out by the Border Inspection Post Services (BIP) of the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD). The incident referred to has been the subject of notification through the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) and consultation between DARD, the EU Commission, the Northern Ireland Food Safety Agency (FSA), the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and my Department. The consignment in question was seized and destroyed by the Northern Ireland Authorities on 12 September 2005.

Following on from the subsequent investigation of this case all Member States made arrangements to check that certain activities in trade of products of animal origin for human consumption are in compliance with EU law.

While the Peoples Republic of China is an approved country for the purpose of trade in animal products with the EU, the following Safeguard Measures have been applied to protect animal and human health by:

(a) banning the import of certain animal products for human consumption, like meats, because residue controls in that country have been found not to comply with EU requirements,

(b) requiring the submission of analysis results for residues of chloramphenicol and nitrofurans for consignments of certain aquaculture products, animal casings, rabbit meat, honey and royal jelly presented for veterinary check on entry into the EU,

(c) requiring confirmation that consignments fishery products, gelatine and petfoods have also been tested and been found not to contain residues, and

(d) banning the import of poultry, and poultry meat, eggs and egg and poultry meat products because of the risk of the spread of High Pathogen Avian Influenza.

At the point of entry on the territory of the EU, importers of animal products are required to present their consignments and health certificates to an approved Border Inspection Post (BIP) for veterinary inspection. At the BIP documentary, identity and physical checks are undertaken in accordance with EU requirements. Once it has been established that imported animal product has met all the required conditions it is released for free circulation within the Community. Copies of the BIP clearance documentation must accompany the consignment to its first food business operator destination. Imports failing to comply with these veterinary control checks may be detained for further examination. If non-compliance is established they are seized for destruction at cost to the importer.

BIPs also carry out control checks on manifests at airports and ports in co-operation with the Customs Services and undertake a physical check on selected consignments for the presence of animal products. The criteria for applying such can be on the basis of random selection, country of origin, follow-up to a previous illegal import or as a result of investigations being undertaken by other Government services.