Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 971: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if all poultry imports here are compliant with national and EU legislation in terms of husbandry, production, hygiene and traceability requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11300/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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2057Detailed EU legislation lays down the conditions that Member States must apply to the production of and trade in products of animal origin, including poultry meat and poultry meat products, as well as to imports of these products from third countries.

Under harmonised legislation a series of health and supervisory requirements are applied in the Member States to ensure that animal products are produced to standards that guarantee the safety of food and the protection of human and animal health. The application of these standards in the Member States is monitored by the FVO (Food & Veterinary Office) of the EU.

It is a requirement that animal products imported from 3rd countries meet standards at least equivalent to those required for production in, and trade between Member States. All such imports must come from 3rd countries or areas of third countries approved for export to the EU.

The FVO carries out inspections to ensure that only establishments that meet hygiene and health standards equivalent to those operating within the EU are approved. Where the FVO considers that public health requirements are not being met, an establishment may be removed from the EU approved list. If outbreaks of animal diseases occur in a third country approval to export to the EU is suspended for the infected regions of the country, or the whole country, as appropriate, until the disease risk has been eliminated.

Import controls form a part of the EU's integrated policy of guaranteeing that the food produced and placed on to the market is safe and that animal and public health is not put at risk. They are a part of the EU's hygiene package, the implementation and monitoring of which is carried out by my Department under a Service Contract with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. Only imports found to be in compliance with EU and national legislation are permitted.