Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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180. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 367 of 14 November 2017, the full title and specific section of the legislation on which he is relying to withhold publication of the audit report on the organic status of the audited aquaculture sites operated by a company (details supplied). [52561/17]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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My Department, as the Competent Authority, delegates the task of certifying and operating the inspection system to which organic operators producing, preparing, storing or importing produce from third countries are subject. This is in accordance with the governing EU regulations. Since 2005, the associated services and obligations of the Organic Control Bodies are formalised by service agreements between the Department and the Organic Control Bodies concerned.

Under the Service Agreement referred to, there is a confidentiality clause whereby the parties to the Service Agreement agree to hold confidential all information, documentation and other material received, provided or obtained arising from the aforementioned agreement. This confidentiality clause includes an undertaking not to disclose any such information to any third party.

In addition, in the case of this particular audit, my Department is in the process of formally responding to the Organic Control Body who conducted the audit. Accordingly I consider that this matter is part of the deliberative process and therefore not permissible for release.