Tom Neville (Limerick County, Fine Gael)
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61. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the efforts his Department made to develop beef access to China; and when he anticipates trade will commence. [23617/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The recent opening of the Chinese beef market is the result of years of cooperation and hard work on the part of my Department, the Irish Embassy in Beijing, Bord Bia, and the Irish beef industry. It is a hugely significant achievement for our industry, as well as an excellent endorsement of our world-class safety standards and product quality.

Three beef plants were approved by the Chinese certification authority in April. As part of my recent Trade Mission to China it was confirmed that a further three beef plants have met the required standards for approval. I expect that they will be formally approved and listed by CNCA in the near future. This was a great result and reflects the on-going work in this area.

My Department has spent many years working closely with the Chinese authorities in order to secure this agreement. This work has included inward and outward trade missions, inspection visits, and various bilateral contacts with officials in relevant Chinese Ministries. Throughout the course of this work, my officials have developed a deep understanding of Chinese requirements. This understanding has been essential in devising procedures to satisfy the conditions of China’s protocol.

A new Veterinary health certificate that will cover both beef and pigmeat comes into effect on 1st June. My officials continue to make progress on various technical issues and I expect the beef trade to commence during the summer. As I have previously stated, the role of the Government is to open up market access and to remove barriers to trade; the industry must then make its own decisions in relation to market priorities. But I hope that Irish beef exports will follow the same success that our dairy and pigmeat sectors have enjoyed in China to date.