asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will clarify the allegations that the Mexican Government will destroy 41 tonnes of milk powder originating in Ireland because it exceeded internationally recognised limits for radiation.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Milk Powder Exports to Mexico.
3.
Bord Bainne are major exporters of skimmed milk powder to Mexico. In the last two years exports have averaged 34,000 tonnes a year and similar quantities are expected to be sold there this year. It appears that questions have arisen about the level of radiation in a very small tonnage out of a total consignment of 28,000 tonnes supplied in 1986. As the Mexican authorities have not contacted us about the matter I do not have precise details on the nature of the problem.
Difficulties have also arisen as regards 5,000 tonnes from a consignment of 40,000 tonnes supplied in 1987, which were attributable to the fact that the Mexican authorities, after delivery of the product, stipulated lower tolerance levels for radioactivity than those agreed in the contract with Bord Bainne. The levels stipulated are, in fact, a fraction of those accepted within EC and in most other international markets. If rejected in Mexico, this powder will be sold without difficulty elsewhere.
I want to emphasise also that a rigorous testing programme for dairy products has been in place since Chernobyl and that all exports are certified as being within internationally accepted limits for radiation.
In tabling this question I am aware that the good name of the industry could be at risk and it was not my intention to do that but there is serious concern that a consignment could go abroad. Has the Minister or his Department been officially in contact with the Mexican Government's purchasing company in this regard and have we accepted back, as was reported, the consignment of milk powder? Is this not a legitimising of the Mexican complaint? Has the Minister got a report on this particular consignment and, if so, will he make it available to the House? I am not satisfied and I would like to ask the Minister what steps——
The Deputy's questions are going on too long.
The last part of my supplementary——
Brief relevant questions.
——is what steps will the Minister take to ensure that this will not happen again? If the rigorous controls were there already this could not arise.
We are fully satisfied that all the consignment complied with EC regulations and international regulations. In that connection, when any matters relating to radiation levels have been discussed in the European Community we have been in the forefront in insisting that the radiation levels that would be acceptable would be at the lowest possible level. What we have exported to Mexico and elsewhere has always been within those levels. What happened in this case is that the Mexican authorities stipulated a level which was about one-eighth of the radiation levels acceptable to the EC and internationally, a radiation level of 50 becquerels. They then suggested that the 5,000 tonnes — if 5,000 tonnes is in fact involved, because most of it has been consumed and they are not quite clear how much is involved — be brought back. It was Bord Bainne who negotiated the contract and as Mexico is one of our biggest customers we decided, as a gesture of goodwill to a big customer who has placed an immense order with us again this year, that they would bring the 5,000 tonnes back and sell it immediately as there is immediate demand in other markets for this product.
As to why this happened in Mexico is not a matter for me to go into. There are internal developments with any country which are not for us to comment on. We should remember this: we are now about the biggest in the world in this area. We supply 66 different outlets and export over 360,000 tonnes of skimmed powder and over 300,000 tonnes of butter. The importance of that market to us is very clear to all of us and perhaps our competitors have certain views also. I do not want to go any further than that but the amount involved in this case is very small and I can reassure the House and insist that it was well within the lowest possible levels set by the European Community.
The Minister was in Mexico last October. Can he tell us whether this question arose in the discussions which he had there? Secondly, because of the absolute importance of maintaining our good name internationally, would the Minister consider going back again to Mexico or asking his Minister of State to go back there to ensure that this problem is cleared up quickly and effectively once and for all?
The Deputy is correct when he says I was there last year. On that visit I met the President who had previously visited Ireland in March and April of last year. I also met their Minister for Health. At no stage during the course of those discussions did anyone raise this question or suggest that the consignments which had been sent out either in 1986 or 1987 did not conform, far from it. Let me make it clear that because of the reputation and standard of our products the only major issue which was discussed was how much we could supply to the Mexican market in 1988. I do not want to attribute any wrong motives to the people with whom I discussed this matter; I do not believe they had any, and Bord Bainne are very satisfied that our position in this market has not been affected. As I have said, our reputation internationally is so high that we can dispose of this stock immediately.
Would the Minister see any merit in the suggestion that either he or his Minister of State go back to Mexico to clear this matter up once and for all so that our good name internationally would be restored?
This is repetition.
I doubt it, because if anyone wanted to raise a scare about our huge exports, be they dairy products, milk powder or meat, to any part of the world, we would constantly be on the move and I do not think it is necessary. The contracts are quite adequate. If this were a major issue we would consider it.
Deputy Stagg.
(Interruptions.)
Order, please. I have called Deputy Stagg.
We export 34,000 tonnes of this product to Mexico each year and the difficulty in this case is the one consignment of 5,000 tonnes seems to have been singled out. Can the Minister elaborate on his initial statement? Is there a dirty tricks department operating somewhere else which fingered us for damage? Can the Minister be specific on that as it might be helpful if he could?
I am not going to say that, although people will be aware that previously, after Chernobyl and during the period of my predecessor, statements were made not so much about the inadequacy or unsatisfactory nature of our product but rather about the high quality of other products which could not possibly have been affected as they were not in this hemisphere. I can say no more than that. We are now in big business and we have to be prepared to recognise that there may be elements within a country or outside of it which may have reservations but I think we can cope with it as we are doing very satisfactorily.
Both Deputy Gay Mitchell and Deputy Durkan are offering. Perhaps, we could have brief supplementaries from both Deputies.
The Minister will be aware that there is a similar problem in regard to the export of certain dairy products to India. Would the Minister ensure that both his Department and the agencies of the State get their act together to ensure that the State is not damaged by the reports emanating from Mexico and India?
I am very glad that the Deputy gives me an opportunity of referring to the totally distorted statement made by a UK member of the European Parliament in which he referred to a consignment of skimmed power when in fact it was a consignment of butter under a food aid programme which he thought was commercial. Let me say that in that case the level of radiation was 1 per cent of the levels stipulated. We will never be able to guard against the making of irresponsible statements such as the one which was made on our own radio station by a UK member of the European Parliament.
A Socialist member.
In view of the obvious need to protect the good name of our exports, would the Minister agree that it is necessary to introduce a system whereby allegations such as the ones which have just been mentioned can be refuted without delay, and would the Minister consider setting up within his Department a monitoring system whereby such allegations could be replied to instantly?
They have been. Let us be clear on that. Normally it is the Nuclear Energy Board and not my Department who determine the levels and conduct the tests. However, I think we are all in agreement that we should not react in a way which is less than measured to what may be said from time to time. I want to repeat that we are about the biggest in this area and bearing in mind that we supply 60 different outlets around the world, we must recognise that, for one reason or another, somebody either inside or outside those countries, may raise a little question. Therefore, I do not think we need to get into a flap about this.
We should answer them quickly.
That has been done.
Question No. 4.
Will it be done in the future?
Did the Indian Government ask for the consignment to be taken back?
No.
I have called Question No. 4.