asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if the proposed meat classification scheme will correspond with similar schemes in other EEC countries; and if steps are being taken to ensure correspondence.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Meat Classification Scheme.
147.
Like here, beef classification schemes are now emerging in some other EEC countries and all are on the same general basic lines. A harmonised Community scheme is likely in time.
What is the present position in regard to our scheme and is it likely that our scheme will be the same as the British scheme?
I do not know.
Would the Minister not consider that it is important to our meat export potential that meat is classified so that purchasers will know exactly what they are buying, that it would be desirable that the same scheme should operate for our exports as is operating domestically in Britain and that he should be able to indicate what the position is by now?
Yes, I do and throughout the Community generally but this common standardisation or classification has not been arrived at yet. A pilot scheme, as the Deputy probably knows, is being carried on at present by one of the meat factories.
When does the Minister expect that the pilot scheme will give us the position in which we should be able to enter into a comprehensive scheme?
I do not think there will be any great inhibitions on us in the adaptation of the standards that we would see adopted and those that will be finally accepted by the Community. I do not foresee any serious difficulty here.
When will our scheme come into operation?
The latest information available is that at present a pilot scheme is being operated by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries in co-operation with one of our meat factories and carcases classified by officers of the Department are being exported to Britain.
That has been the position for some months past and we seem to have got no further.