Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide in tabular form the total number of inspections for cracked or dirty/use by dates/sell by dates for eggs in 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012; the number of compliant inspections; the number of cases brought and the number of convictions as a result of these cases; the total cost of these inspections for each year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49358/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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The table below sets out the total number of egg inspections carried out by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the years 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Departmental officials inspect retail and wholesale outlets for compliance with the European Communities (Marketing Standards for Eggs) Regulations 2009 (S.I. No 140 of 2009) and Regulation (EC) No. 852/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the hygiene of foodstuffs. Egg packing centres are inspected for labelling and grading requirements as well as compliance with hygiene requirements in accordance with European Communities Regulations.

Such inspections take place in conjunction with inspections for compliance with other EU Regulations and therefore data on the cost of egg inspections for the years in question is not readily available.

Although none of the inspections uncovered non-compliances warranting legal proceedings, in all cases of non-compliance, the eggs were removed from sale and disposed of on site or sent for rendering.