Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1678: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the effects a judgment will have on the aquaculture and mussel industry here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33769/10]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 1679: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has held discussions with his counterparts in Holland in relation the court judgment regarding the importation of mussels there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33770/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1678 and 1679 together.

Following a recent Court judgement in the Netherlands the importation of mussel seed into that jurisdiction for the purposes of relaying is no longer permitted. The import of mussels for direct human consumption is not currently affected.

However I am concerned about the possibility that the implementation of the Court judgement by the Dutch authorities has the potential to seriously disrupt trade in mussels between Ireland and the Netherlands.

For this reason, my Department has engaged in urgent discussions with the Dutch authorities on the matter. In addition, Minister of State Connick had a bilateral meeting with Ms Gerda Verburg, the Dutch Minister for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality in Brussels on Monday last. The Dutch Minister is aware of the issues involved and was made fully aware by Minister Connick of Irelands concerns in relation to the potential impact on the bottom grown mussel trade. Minister Connick and Minister Verburg agreed to maintain contact on the issue and that their Departments would continue to actively engage at official level on the matter as a priority.

Minister Connick and Minister Verburg are both anxious to find solutions to the issue, which avoid the potential impacts on the bottom grown mussel trade which have given rise to concerns in the industry.