Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 233: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has convened the poultry advisory group; the brief of the advisory group; the reason it has taken so long to take action on the future of the poultry industry; and if cross-departmental initiatives are being considered. [42979/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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A meeting of the Poultry Expert Group has been arranged for 9 December. The Group's 2007 report focused on a range of issues including labelling, environment protection, welfare legislation and feeding stuffs. I have asked the Group to reconvene so that it can review its recommendations in the light of developments over the last year and consider what further issues warrant consideration.

Action in regard to the poultry industry has been ongoing. Bord Bia has been very active in growing and enhancing the Poultry Quality Assurance Scheme (PQAS). This year both the processor and producer standards of the PQAS were accredited under EN45011 by the Irish National Accreditation board. The Quality Assurance scheme is critical to Irish product retaining market share in the domestic retail market for fresh poultry meat. My Department operates an extensive range of controls to uphold the country's avian health status. There is also a scheme of financial assistance for flock owners in whose flocks certain types of salmonella have been detected. Department veterinary personnel are present in all poultry meat production premises to monitor compliance with public health legislation.

Another issue facing the poultry sector is compliance with legislation on the protection of the environment. The Intensive Livestock Group was established in my Department to assist poultry and pig producers in finding viable solutions to manure disposal problems. Producers, processors and Teagasc are represented on this group, whose work is continuing.

I believe there should be wider country of origin labelling of all meats and my Department has been in extensive communication over the past year with the European Commission with a view to making such labelling compulsory. While the Commission adopted a negative opinion in relation to our proposal for national legislation I will continue to press for country of origin labelling in the context of the Commission's proposal for a new regulation on food information. The Department of Health and Children is the lead Department for that proposal and my officials remain in contact with it on this issue. I will consider what further initiatives are warranted in the light of the deliberations of the Poultry Expert Group.