Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 243: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the extent to which traceability regulations in respect of meat and meat product imports are enforced with particular reference to the extent and number of inspections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40859/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Consignments of food products of animal origin directly entering on to the territory of the EU must be the subject of a prior notification of import. My Department, in co-operation with Customs service, monitors and operates animal and public health controls at EU approved Border Inspection Posts (BIP) on all direct imports into Ireland coming from non-EU (or third) countries.

These are required to undergo veterinary examination at the BIP of entry to include documentary checks (100%), identity checks (100%) and physical checks ranging from 20% to 50% of consignments according to whether the consignment consists of meat or meat products. Consignments failing to comply with veterinary control checks may be detained for further examination and where non-compliance is established are returned to the exporting country or destroyed at the importers cost. During 2009 a total of 1,061 consignments of meat and meat products for human consumption were directly imported through BIPs in Ireland, representing a total of 20, 400 tonnes.