Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Independent)
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112. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the process for exporting beef to jurisdictions (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2018/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland is not currently approved for the export of beef to the Chinese or Taiwanese markets. However, there have been significant developments recently regarding China. Following political, technical and diplomatic engagement with the Chinese authorities over several years, the Chinese Ministers for Agriculture and for Quarantine and Inspection Services agreed, during my trade mission in November 2014, to send an inspection team to audit Ireland’s beef production system and BSE controls in particular, with a view to removing the ban on Irish beef.

The Inspection Team (comprising delegates from the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) and the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA)) duly visited Ireland from 10-20 December 2014. They also visited laboratories, meat plants, rendering plants, cattle farms and a feed mill. My Department is currently awaiting the report of the visit.

My Department and the Irish Embassy in Beijing will continue to engage with the Chinese authorities in order to progress this matter with a view to obtaining access to the Chinese market for Irish beef in the near future.