Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 37: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has established a review group on traceability systems at all meat processing plants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25972/09]

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. Specifically 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. In other words a food business operator at each and every stage in the food chain must be able to identify the source of its inputs as well as having details of the first recipient of its output. This is commonly referred to as the "one step forward one step backward" traceability system.

I am satisfied that the meat sector generally is meeting the traceability standards required under this legislation. Nevertheless following the dioxin contamination incident my Department, in conjunction with industry, is continuing to examine the potential to improve traceability at processing level.

I also established a Review Group (chaired by Dr. Patrick Wall) to carry out a comprehensive review of the dioxin contamination incident. This Group will make recommendations on whatever adjustments of controls are necessary in the light of the experience gained in dealing with this incident. I expect that this group will cover the issue of traceability in its deliberations.