Gay Mitchell (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 84: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the inspection regimes administered by her Department in relation to the mushroom growing industry; the frequency with which such inspections take place; the penalties in place for failure to comply with these Departmental regulations; the number of such establishments found to be in breach of existing regulations in 2005 and 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8815/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The regulatory framework governing plant protection products in Ireland which is set out in SI 83 of 2003 is designed to ensure a very high standard of protection for human health and the environment. Enforcement of the legislation involves inspections to ensure that only approved products are present in the market and are used by farmers and growers. Inspections normally take place at wholesale/distribution level. However where there is evidence of possible misuse of plant protection products generated through the residue monitoring programme at wholesale/distribution level or from any other source, specific inspections at end-user level take place.

The pesticide residue monitoring programme conducted by my Department on behalf of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), is agreed on an annual basis with the FSAI. This programme is risk-based and involved the analysis of some 1,350 samples of agricultural produce in each of the years 2005 and 2006 for up to 150 different pesticide compounds. The number of samples of mushrooms taken and analysed in 2005 and 2006 was 10 and 13 respectively. All were found to be free of illegal residues.

Penalties involving fines of up to €5,000 and or 6 months imprisonment can be imposed where evidence of misuse is uncovered, at the discretion of the courts.