Written answers
Tuesday, 26 September 2017
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Aquaculture Development
Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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426. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 1712 of 20 June 2017, if in view of the non-compliance with licence conditions by the country's largest salmon farm operator, his views on whether the time has come to delegate certification of organic operators to a public body such as the Marine Institute or the National Parks and Wildlife Service in order to protect the integrity of the organic label. [40385/17]
Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with the governing EU Regulation, the Department as the Competent Authority has opted to delegate the certification of organic operators to four Organic Control Bodies. This approach is in common with many other Member States.
The Organic Control Bodies concerned are subject to supervision and ongoing monitoring by the Department. Furthermore the Organic Control Bodies must be accredited on an annual basis by the relevant accreditation body. All of these controls are designed to ensure the independence of the certification process, which is also verified by EU audit. I am satisfied therefore that the integrity of the organic label is protected.
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