Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 445: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the action he is taking to ensure that meat passing through the large meat processing plants is 100% traceable; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24537/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Regulation (EC) No. 178 of 2002, which sets out the general principles and requirements of EU food law, stipulates among other things, that food business operators at all stages of production, processing and distribution within the businesses under their control must ensure that foods satisfy the requirements of food law and that these requirements are met. In regard to traceability the regulations require that the operator must have systems in place to be able to identify any person from whom they have been supplied with a food. They must also have a system in place to identify the other businesses to which their product has been supplied.

I am satisfied therefore that the meat sector is meeting the traceability standards required under this legislation. My Department, in conjunction with industry, is nevertheless continuing to examine the potential to improve traceability as I indicated following the dioxin contamination incident.