Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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202. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the application for a grass-fed PGI status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40691/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Following detailed scrutiny by my Department, including a National Opposition Procedure and extensive stakeholder engagement, my Department has now submitted the application from Bord Bia for PGI status for 'Irish Grass Fed Beef' to the European Commission.

The European Commission must now also complete a detailed process in evaluating this application. I have written to Commissioner Wojciechowski to emphasise that PGI status for our unique quality, Irish grass fed beef would have benefits for all those in the supply chain, principally the primary producer, at this critical time for the Irish beef sector.

Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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203. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if Bord Bia will be instructed to work with the Departments of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Environment, Climate and Communications and Rural and Community Development in the north and other stakeholders such as farming organisations to assist them with implementing a grass fed standard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40692/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In submitting the application for PGI status for 'Irish Grass Fed Beef', I have emphasised to Commissioner Wojciechowski that Ireland would strongly support and recommend the PGI being extended on an all-island basis, when a grass-fed verification system is in place in Northern Ireland.

Bord Bia have already had detailed engagement with their Northern Ireland counterparts and stakeholders to explain the technical detail of the grass-fed standard and verification system which is a key pillar of the PGI application.

I wrote last week to my counterpart, Minister Poots, to emphasise that my Department and Bord Bia are ready and willing to further assist Northern Ireland counterparts with the development of a verification system for grass-fed. My officials have already followed up to propose scheduling a joint seminar on this topic.