Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his plans to review issues surrounding sell-by dates and labelling procedures on imports and Irish produce as raised by a number of Irish producers following the closure of Cappoquin chickens. [30838/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The labelling of imported and Irish-produced poultry is checked on an ongoing basis by inspectors of my Department in accordance with European Communities legislation on the marketing standards for poultrymeat. For example, around 1,300 such inspections were conducted in 2007. The legislation requires, inter alia, that the use-by date be displayed on fresh poultry and that the country of origin be displayed if the poultry has been imported from a non-EU country. Any non-compliances are followed up by means of direction to the operator to correct the deficiency or, if warranted, seizure of the product.

An issue raised of late has been the procedure for correctly setting the use-by date when gas-flushed packs of poultry are opened in retail premises. This subject falls under the competence of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. The Authority has written to retailers advising them of the necessity to have the use-by date correctly established in accordance with its guidelines. It has also asked its inspectors to verify compliance with this point when conducting checks in retail premises. My Department intends to meet poultry importers shortly to discuss various labelling issues including the setting of use-by dates for opened gas-flushed poultry.