Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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678. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the engagement he has had with An Bord Bia in relation to Northern Ireland being part of the Irish beef protected geographical indication, PGI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19198/20]

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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694. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if all materials, correspondence, reports and briefings relating to the An Bord Bia application for PGI status of Irish beef will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19215/20]

Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 678 and 694 together.

PGI status requires products to be produced in accordance with a particular technical specification and producers are required to meet that specification. This is in addition to the legal requirements applying to food production in EU Member States.

My Department officials have been working with Bord Bia on the various technical and legal aspects of a draft PGI application for 'Irish Grass Fed Beef', and that process is on-going. The application is being made by Bord Bia on behalf of the Irish beef sector, and I will be familiarising myself with the details at an early date.

I understand that the draft application proposes  that the controls already in place for the Bord Bia Sustainable Beef and Lamb Assurance Scheme (SBLAS) will be used as part of the control regime to verify production of ‘Grass Fed Irish Beef’. Beef farmers in Northern Ireland are not members of the SBLAS.

In regard to the Deputy's request for all materials, correspondence, reports and briefings relating to the Bord Bia application, these are part of an ongoing deliberative process.