Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 283: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food her plans to implement a country of origin label on all meat products sold here particularly pig meat from South America which is currently sold under Irish Labels; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17936/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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All beef sold in the retail or catering sectors is required to bear an indication of its country of origin. I am fully in favour of pigmeat, poultry and sheepmeat being similarly labelled. To this end, my Department has prepared a draft Statutory Instrument and is in consultation with the Department of Health and Children with a view to making the necessary legislative change since the legal basis for any such legislation comes within the remit of that Department. The legislation will also require clearance from the European Commission.

I have also raised the issue in the Council of Agriculture Ministers and sought the support of EU Ministerial colleagues for EU-wide action on origin labelling. In the context of a European Commission consultative process on the broad question of food labelling my Department has confirmed my strong preference for origin information for meat and the desirability of a common EU-wide approach to this.