Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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I am delighted that the application for a PGI for boxty has been submitted. Geographical Indications identify a product whose quality, reputation or other characteristics are linked to its geographical origin. Boxty is a traditional locally produced dish which is a great use of potatoes which have long been a staple of the Irish diet. It is deeply rooted in our heritage and I am eager to see it achieve recognition at EU level.

It takes an enormous effort to successfully get a PGI application over the line and only the best and highest quality products can reach that standard.

My Department, as the Competent Authority for Protected Geographical Indications (PGI), checks PGI applications to ensure that the application and product specification are compliant with the relevant European Commission Regulations governing the scheme.

PGI applications require scrutiny at a number of levels: this includes by my own Department, by stakeholders through the national opposition procedure, by the European Commission and by other Member States and third countries. The Boxty PGI applicant has engaged extensively with my Department and has undertaken important work to finalise their product specification and single document in line with the European Commission requirements. I am satisfied that the extensive engagements between my Department and the applicant group has strengthened the application.

My Department is currently examining the latest submission received from the applicant for the Boxty PGI. Once my Department is satisfied that the application is ready, the application can move to the next stage which is the national opposition procedure. This will give an opportunity for all interested parties to examine the application and submit any observations they may wish to make. Once that process is finalised and any oppositions dealt with in accordance with the EU rules, the next stage would be to submit the application to the European Commission for scrutiny.

I am very supportive of PGI applications such as this as they add value to our agri-food products as well as highlighting their heritage.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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73. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will consider seeking protected geographical indication status from the EU for grass-fed Irish beef and dairy products. [18373/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Under current European Commission rules, applications for registration of food product names as Protected Geographical Indications (PGI) may only be submitted by groups who work with the products concerned. Bord Bia is the named applicant on behalf of Irish producers and processors for the PGI for Irish Grass Fed Beef which I am delighted to say was registered by the European Commission last December. The registration was the culmination of five year’s work undertaken to ensure that the application could withstand the scrutiny required under EU rules.

It takes an enormous effort to get a PGI application over the line successfully and thanks to all those involved in the process, Bord Bia, farmers, processors, and my own Department, Irish Grass Fed Beef has now joined an exclusive list of quality European products. In February last, at an event on a suckler farm in Co. Donegal, I marked the registration by the EU of the PGI. It was wonderful a few weeks later to see Irish Grass Fed Beef PGI on the shelves in an Italian supermarket in Milan. This PGI helps to symbolise the farm to fork credentials of our Irish beef products and the work that our farmers put into producing top quality food.

With regard to other beef PGIs, my Department recently launched a PGI national opposition procedure for an application for a PGI for Certified Irish Angus Beef which was submitted for the Certified Irish Angus Producer group. My Department is examining the submissions received and will shortly engage with the applicant with a view to establishing next steps.

In regard to seeking PGI status for dairy products, I would fully support any applications for PGIs and it is open to dairy producers or producer groups to submit a PGI application for their product to my Department, the Competent Authority. There is already a dairy product with GI status in that Imokilly Regato cheese has had Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status since 1999.

A PGI or PDO can help to communicate the quality, reputation and other characteristics of a product’s geographical area. I encourage any producer of beef or dairy products or indeed any food products to contact my Department for information on applying for a geographical indication if they believe they have a product that would qualify for PGI or PDO status. It is important that we convey the merits of our quality food and the geographical indications scheme is an excellent way to do so.