Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 816: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce legislation requiring operators in the retail and catering sectors to provide country of origin information on pig meat, poultry and sheep meat; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29394/09]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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My Department submitted to the EU Commission draft national legislation that would require the country of origin to be indicated on pigmeat, poultrymeat and sheepmeat and on food products containing over 70% of these meats. My Department engaged in extensive communications with the Commission with a view to justifying and pressing the case for the proposed legislation. The Commission, however, adopted a negative opinion in relation to the proposal on the grounds that it was not consistent with the EU Labelling Directive. The Commission has however reviewed the Labelling Directive and has brought forward proposals for new food labelling regulations. These regulations will be considered by Council of Health Ministers and the question of origin labelling continues to be pursued in that context.