Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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719. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the status of the application to the European Union for protected geographical indication status for Irish beef; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56983/21]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that the PGI application for Irish Grass Fed Beef was submitted to the EU Commission in November 2020.

As part of its detailed scrutiny of the application, the European Commission raised a number of queries with my Department over the period May to October 2021. The Department officials together with Bord Bia responded to those queries.

I am hopeful that the PGI application, submitted by Bord Bia on behalf of Irish farmers, will be published by the EU Commission in the coming weeks for the next stage of consultation at EU Member State and Third Country level.

The period of this consultation process, which is formally called ‘EU/third country opposition procedure’ is three months, but this can be extended by the Commission.

If successfully registered, PGI status for Irish Grass Fed Beef could have significant benefits for all those in the supply chain, particularly our beef farmers who are the cornerstone of the sector.

The Department will continue to engage intensively with the European Commission on this application, and with counterparts in Northern Ireland with a view to ensuring that Northern Ireland can join the application at the appropriate time.

I acknowledge the work involved by my Department and Bord Bia in getting the application to this stage.