In January of this year the French authorities instituted a health alert arising from two alleged outbreaks of illness in September, 1998 in which the symptoms were reported as being consistent with those caused by diarrhetic shellfish poisoning, DSP. The French authorities reported that the alleged incidents were associated with the consumption of mussels exported from Ireland and indicated also that a number of positive results had been obtained from testing of Irish product for DSP.
My Department, in association with other relevant State agencies, followed up immediately on the alleged incidents with the French authorities and the European Commission, with a view to establishing conclusively the association, if any, of Irish product with the alleged outbreaks of food poisoning. In the meantime, and as a precautionary measure, frozen Irish mussels produced between June and September, 1998 were temporarily withdrawn from the market. I understand that the amount of product held, primarily in Ireland and France, was some 600 tonnes. Irish mussel exports in live or processed form were not affected.
My Department has pursued this matter vigorously with the French authorities. Agreement was reached whereby batches of the withheld product would be released where the Irish reference laboratory or an approved French laboratory obtained five negative results in testing for DSP. This testing process is under way and I am advised that over 100 tonnes have been released to date. The Department is pressing for sampling of the remaining stocks to be completed as quickly as possible and decisions on its release taken without delay. Contact is being maintained at all appropriate levels with the French authorities.