Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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238. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which breaches in food quality and traceability standards have been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21346/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The FSAI is the body responsible for enforcement of regulations governing traceability, labelling and provision of food information to customers.

My Department has a permanent veterinary presence at all its approved slaughter plants. Controls at plants only engaged in secondary processing are carried out at a frequency based on an annual risk assessment. An annual audit of imported products is carried out in each Department-approved plant, including checks on physical identity, labelling and documentary checks.

Extra veterinary checks are carried out on selected consignments of foods imported into DAFM-approved establishments from other EU Member States or from Third Countries outside the EU.  These checks include, physical checks of product condition, checks of accompanying documentation and checks of labelling and health markings.

It is imperative that food businesses ensure that they have robust traceability systems in place to check that the appropriate food safety systems and compliance with the law are assured. I assign the highest priority to this issue to ensure continued confidence in our agri-food industry, and my Department continues to work with all stakeholders to ensure the highest standards continue to be enforced across the sector.