James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

491. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding the creation of a border inspection post at Rosslare Port, County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52661/19]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Border Inspection Posts are the facilities at which veterinary inspections are undertaken on products and animals entering the European Union from Third Counties before they are allowed to be placed on the Single Market.  A range of controls are carried out to ensure that the products or animals pose no dangers to human or animal health.

In February of this year, officials from my Department submitted a dossier to the European Commission requesting the approval of Border Inspection Post facilities at Rosslare Port as part of Government-wide Brexit preparedness planning.  The European Commission subsequently communicated that it had approved the BIP facilities for the importation of products of animal origin for human consumption and products of animal origin not for human consumption, excluding bulk products and non-containerised liquids and oils.  Separately, the Commission also approved the facilities for live animals that would enter through Rosslare.

As the UK have not as of yet left the European Union, the facilities have not been activated as a BIP as there are currently no sailings from Third Countries into Rosslare.