Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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1161. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views on a British rural commission that has recently condemned the slow pace of the investigations into the horse meat scandal here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37000/13]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I published a detailed report on the ‘Equine DNA and Mislabelling of Processed Beef Investigation’ on 14 March which provides extensive details on the investigation and the actions taken by my Department. Operations in a total of four plants were suspended (in some cases on a voluntary basis) for varying periods arising from the investigation. Information in relation to activities by traders and other intermediaries in the supply chain outside of the jurisdiction has been passed to Europol and other Member States to facilitate continuing investigations in other countries. Ireland’s investigation team worked closely with colleagues in other Member States, facilitating investigations in those countries, and we remain fully open to assisting any other Member State or entity with regard to ongoing investigations.

My Department is actively considering the possibility of instituting legal proceedings where appropriate, as indicated in the report. It is important to note in that context that while some of the failures referred to in the report risked reputational damage to the Irish food sector, they did not breach EU or national law. It is also worth noting that it was because of the vigilance of Ireland’s testing and control regime that this pan European problem, involving a range of meat products and traders/food business operators, was exposed. Exposure of this malpractice will result in improved consumer protection not just in Ireland, but also in the UK and elsewhere.