Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 121: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the roles of the Food Safety Authority, An Bord Bia, and her Department's pesticide control service in respect of monitoring pesticide residue in the horticulture and food industry; the number of samples taken in respect of all sectors in the horticulture industry for each of the past five years; the number of the tests conducted on each of these samples; and her views on the alleged use of a chemical (details supplied) on mushrooms just hours before harvest. [25865/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish pesticide residue monitoring programme is agreed annually between the Food Safety Authority and my Department. My Department is responsible for the sampling and analysis of the produce included in the programme as set out in the service contract agreement between it and the FSAI. An Bord Bia does not have a role in the preparation or implementation of this programme.

The number of samples of fruit and vegetables analysed and the number of tests carried on each sample over the past 5 years are as follows:

The results of the Department pesticide residue monitoring programmes are electronically available for the years 2000 to 2005 on the website www.pcs.agriculture.gov.ie . The 2006 report will also be available at this site when finalized.

In relation to the alleged use of the chemical mentioned in the question, there is no available evidence to confirm that this use took place. An analysis was carried on a sample of mushrooms in regard to this allegation in 2006, and the results obtained did not show the presence of any residues of the chemical referred to.