Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 662: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the status and progress towards the implementation of the 25 recommendations contained in the EU Food and Veterinary Office report published in March 2007; the prospect of her issuing, in the interest of the health concerns of the consumer here, a directive to ban the importation of Brazilian beef into Ireland until the measures signalled in the said report apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34392/07]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The report of the visit in March of the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) to Brazil was published in October. The progress in the implementation of the recommendations of that report will be assessed by the FVO. In this context of a further FVO mission was undertaken in November. At my request the matter was discussed recently by the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH).

In response to Ireland, UK, Italy and Denmark who also requested update on the FVO's latest Mission to Brazil in November and the actions the Commission proposed to take, the Commission said that the FVO report on the latest mission was being drafted but details were not available. The Commission did however indicate that all of the assurances previously given were not complied with and it was considering various options. I have remained in contact with Commissioner Kyprianou on this issue. The Commissioner has assured me that the Commission will not hesitate to introduce the appropriate measures if a product imported from a third country or produced in the domestic market represents a risk for the health of EC consumers or livestock.