Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 330: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the number of tests carried out for polychlorinated byphenals; the nature of those tests; the location of those tests; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47519/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland operates a residue/contamination monitoring programme that is annually approved by the EU Commission. As part of this monitoring programme, indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are looked for in samples taken from animals at an EU agreed sampling level.

Testing for indicator polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) takes place throughout the year at the pesticides division of DAFF laboratories at Backweston, Celbridge, Co. Kildare. Annually approximately 350 samples (from milk, pork, beef etc) are tested for PCBs. So far this year 114 beef samples (42 from the first of September) and 50 pork samples (12 since Sept first) have been tested in the annual screening programme. Only one sample — that from a pig slaughtered on November 19th was positive, giving rise to the present situation.

Testing is on-going and since the positive sample was identified, 160 samples have been tested for PCBs at the Pesticides Division of DAFF laboratories.