Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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Question 83: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the contact he has had with his European counterparts in relation to the mutant e-coli outbreak, which has caused numerous deaths and serious illness in Germany; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15063/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The EU Council of Ministers, in various formations, has addressed the serious and unfolding issues related to the E. coli outbreak in Germany. On 31 May, the issue was discussed at an informal meeting of the Council of EU Agriculture Ministers in Hungary.

On 6 June, the Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (EPSCO) Council was briefed by the European Commission on steps being taken, including to ensure the sharing of relevant information on a real time basis.

On 7 June, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mr Simon Coveney T.D., attended an emergency meeting of the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers in Luxembourg called to deal with the food safety and market implications resulting from the E. coli outbreak in Germany. Minister Coveney and his Department are in regular contact with their European counterparts and are continuing to monitor the situation. The German authorities have recently linked the infections with the consumption of organic bean sprouts from one local German producer. The German authorities have confirmed that none of the bean sprouts from the producer in question have been exported from Germany. On this basis, on 10 June, a previous warning against the consumption of tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce was rescinded. On 12 June, German authorities confirmed that samples of organic bean sprouts tested positive for the outbreak strain of E. coli (VTEC) O104:H4. This is considered to be another piece of evidence suggesting that organic bean sprouts have to be considered as an essential source for the E. coli infections.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland is continuing to monitor this situation and provide up-dates as necessary. It has indicated that there have been no reported cases in Ireland of human illness associated with the German outbreak strain of E. coli (VTEC) O104:H4.

The EU Council of Ministers as well as the European Commission and the relevant European entities engaged in this area, such as the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA), will continue to work closely with relevant Member State authorities in addressing this situation.