Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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144. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the timeframe for finalising a veterinary health certificate with AQSIQ for Irish beef access to China; if an inspection visit by the Chinese certification and accreditation administration to approve individual processing plants for export will take place in 2017 or 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43349/17]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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145. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding receiving access for Irish meat products to China; the remaining stages in the approval process outstanding; and the timeframe for all stages to be completed and full access granted. [43350/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 145 together.

China is a high priority for beef market access and significant progress has already been made. The BSE ban in respect of Irish beef was lifted by the Chinese authorities in early 2015. This was a very positive development which paved the way for the start of the process to secure access. The Chinese General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ) then carried out a systems audit in Ireland in January 2016. In April 2017 together with the AQSIQ Minister Zhi Shuping, I signed a Protocol on the requirements for Frozen Beef to be exported from Ireland to China. The signing of this Protocol was another significant step towards securing beef market access. A veterinary health certificate based on this Protocol is being finalised and will be submitted to the Chinese Authorities shortly.

In August 2017 my Department hosted an audit visit from the Chinese Certification and Accreditation Administration (CNCA) who undertook a series of plant inspection visits in order to assess the applications by Irish beef processors to gain access to the Chinese market. Feedback from the audit team was broadly positive and we are now awaiting the official report of their audit visit.

Despite this significant progress, the fact is that the pace of market access will be determined by the Chinese authorities, and not by my Department.  My officials continue to liaise closely with their Chinese counterparts to ensure every assurance is provided in relation to the quality and safety of Irish beef.

Ireland currently has access for fresh/frozen pig meat and pig offals and by-products to China.  Exports of pig meat to China in 2016 totalled approximately 73,090 tonnes valued at €119.29m.

Applications have also been submitted to AQSIQ China for access for Irish poultrymeat and sheepmeat. AQSIQ will only consider one commodity at a time and when the process of access for beef has been completed, they will in due course move on to assessment of other market access applications.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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146. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding receiving access for Irish meat products to South Korea; the remaining stages in the approval process outstanding; and the timeframe for all stages to be completed and full access granted. [43351/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Beef market access to South Korea is a high priority for my Department.  This process began with the submission of market access questionnaires. In late 2015 we were informed via the European Commission that South Korea was to undertake inspection visits to Ireland in May 2016.

In May 2016 a delegation of 3 inspectors from the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (QIA)within the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) held a week long inspection visit to Ireland. They had meetings with the Department and site visits including two beef production establishments, beef & sheep farm, laboratories, rendering plant and knackery.

A follow on questionnaire was then submitted to South Korea as part of the process of seeking beef market access during the trade mission in September 2016. In June 2017, a delegation from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) inspected a number of meat processing plants and cold stores.

Ireland is currently at step fourin a six step process for beef market access to South Korea. We are awaiting reports from both the QIA delegation and the MFDS visit. These reports will recommend whether market access should be granted to Ireland. This recommendation represents step five of the process. Should Ireland be successful in gaining market access for Irish beef, the delegation will return to inspect individual plants that want to export to Korea.

I intend to raise the matter of beef access and try to expedite the process during the Trade Mission to South Korea next month. In parallel,  my officials plan to meet their counterparts for technical discussions aimed at moving the process forward.

Ireland currently has access for fresh/frozen pig meat and by-products to South Korea and a successful re-inspection visit was carried out in October/November 2016.  Exports of pig meat to South Korea in 2016 totalled approximately 5048 tonnes valued at €11.2m.

When full access for beef has been granted, my Department can then proceed with an application to seek access to export sheepmeat to South Korea should anticipated demand for Irish sheepmeat indicate this as priority.