Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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258. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which labelling and traceability continues to be effective and accurate in every respect; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35769/14]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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267. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which traceability and labelling continues to be effective in respect of all food imports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35778/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 258 and 267 together.

Food production and labelling in EU Member States operate in accordance with harmonised rules and controls. These controls are subject to audit and supervision by the Food and Veterinary Office (FVO) of the EU. The FVO also audit the controls of the importing countries for equivalent standards before that country is authorised to import meat into the EU. Such products are required to comply with EU labelling legislation.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), under the aegis the Minister for Health, has overall responsibility for the enforcement of food safety and labelling requirements in Ireland. It carries out this remit through service contracts with my Department and other agencies including the Health Service Executive (HSE), Local Authority Veterinary Service and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority. Inspections to ensure compliance with traceability and labelling legislation are carried out by inspection services provided by these agencies under the aforementioned contracts.

In relation to traceability, EU Food Hygiene Regulations stipulate, among other things, that there should be ‘one up, one down’ traceability at each point along the food chain and I am satisfied that food business operators in this country generally meet that standard.