Written answers
Thursday, 2 June 2022
Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
Food Industry
Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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408. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the meetings held by his Departmental officials from assistant principal level upwards with representatives of the food industry in relation to the issue of infant nutrition in Ireland from 2021 to date, including the issue of infant formula; the dates, attendees and matters that were discussed at each meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28612/22]
Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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In 2021, Ireland exported dairy products to approximately 147 countries with a value exceeding €5.1 billion for the third consecutive year.
Infant Formula was our fifth most valuable dairy export amounting to €652 million in 2021. Ireland, as a producer of high quality sustainable dairy products, is an important source of infant and follow-on formula internationally.
The Department supervises the production of infant and follow-on formula in Ireland through a robust controls system ensuring Infant and follow-on formula is produced to the highest standards in accordance with all relevant governing regulations.
In addition to inspections and audits carried out by Department’s inspectorate, officials from the Department meet periodically with representatives of the dairy industry with regard to infant nutrition including infant formula.
The following table shows details of meetings held by Department officials from Assistant Principal level upwards since 2021, for which details are readily available. I have been advised that it has not been possible in the time available to conduct a comprehensive review of archived email records to check for any additional meetings which may have taken place. If the Deputy wishes, results of a search for any additional records can be provided in due course.
| Date | Attendees | Discussion points |
|---|---|---|
| 14/01/2021 | DAFM Officials including AP and AP equivalents upwards and IF company. | Premises Registration Process |
| 18/01/2021 | DAFM Officials including AP and AP equivalents upwards and IF company. | GB certification post Brexit |
| 04/02/2021 | DAFM Officials including AP and AP equivalents upwards and IF company | Premises Registration Process |
| 28/04/2021 | Minister Robert Troy, Minister Damien English, Officials from Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and DAFM Officials at AP level as well as representatives of IF company. | GB certification post Brexit |
| 21/06/2021 | DAFM Officials including AP and AP equivalents upwards and IF company. | Third country registration requirements |
| 21/06/2021 | DAFM Officials including AP and AP equivalents upwards and IF company. | Third country registration requirements |
| 21/06/2021 | DAFM Officials including AP and AP equivalents upwards and IF company. | Third country registration requirements |
| 25/08/2021 | DAFM Official at AP level and of IF company. | GB certification post Brexit |
| 27/08/2021 | DAFM Officials including AP and AP equivalents upwards and IF company. | GB certification post Brexit |
| 14/12/2021 | DAFM Officials including AP and AP equivalents upwards and Dairy Industry Ireland along with IF company representatives. | Third country registration requirements |
| 14/01/2022 | DAFM Officials including AP and AP equivalents upwards and representatives of IF company. | Third country registration requirements |
| 20/01/2022 | DAFM Officials including AP and AP equivalents upwards and representatives of IF company. | Third country registration requirements |
| 25/01/2022 | DAFM Officials including AP and AP equivalents upwards and representatives of IF company. | Third country registration requirements |
| 28/01/2022 | DAFM Officials including AP and AP equivalents upwards and representatives of IF company | Third country registration requirements |
| 25/05/2022 | DAFM Officials including AP and AP equivalents upwards and representatives of IF company. | Third country registration requirements |
The Deputy should note that the table does not include the following:
- Inspections and audits by the Department's inspectorate staff of Food Business Operators who produce Infant Formula, as part of the Department's food safety controlsystem;
- There are also a number of other industry forums which the Department hosts, for example, the Brexit Stakeholder meetings, at which representatives of Infant Formula producers attend, where the subject matter would not specifically relate to infant nutrition and the issue of infant formula. Such meetings have not been included as they fall outside the scope of the Deputy's question.
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