Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 232: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food the action he has taken to develop a potential market for Irish beef in the Philippines as outlined in the Global Irish Economic Forum report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44672/10]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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My Department, in co-operation with Bord Bia and the Department of Foreign Affairs, held a seminar in the Philippines in September 2007 in order to demonstrate the safety standards applicable to Irish food products and the effectiveness of our BSE controls. The veterinary authorities in the Philippines wrote to my Department in early 2008 requesting a list of approved meat plants, from which to make a selection for audit. This list was forwarded to the Philippines and in June 2008, they selected four pigmeat plants and six beef plants to complete a detailed pre-audit questionnaire. In August 2008 the authorities officially lifted their ban on Irish beef, subject to an inspection visit. In April 2009 my Department responded to the Filipino authorities with completed questionnaires from nine of the selected plants, one plant having decided not to proceed.

Plans were subsequently drawn up on two occasions to receive an inspection delegation from the Philippines. The first arrangements for an inspection visit were made for September 2009, but had to be rescheduled at the behest of the delegation. Unfortunately the rescheduled visit which was planned for November 2009, was also cancelled at short notice, as the Filipino veterinary team could not obtain clearance to travel from their own administration. The matter has been kept under review and it is hoped that we will be in a position to renew the invitation to the Filipino authorities to carry out an inspection visit in the near future.