asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food whether he has received any complaints or inquiries from representatives of the governments of Iraq, Australia or New Zealand or any other state regarding the quality of meat purported to have originated in this State and shipped to Iraq.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Quality of Meat.
19.
I have not received complaints or inquiries from representatives of any government regarding the quality of meat supplied to Iraq.
Can the Minister throw any light on the report circulated in the farming journals and on radio farm programmes with regard to sheep purchased in Australia to be re-exported to Iraq under the brand of prime Irish lamb?
There was no evidence from any source brought to us through any official channels of any such complaint. Our national radio and television service have fully and publicly withdrawn any reports or suggestions that gave rise to that concern. We had no evidence and knew of no cause for complaint.
Would the Minister agree that it is an amazing story to be circulated without any foundation?
It seems to be.
In view of the importance of this question could the Minister tell us whether his Department made any official effort to find out the veracity or otherwise of these reports, because the entire meat industry has suffered as a result of what we can only call at this stage an allegation? As I pointed out at the time, I think the Minister really should have come into the House and made known the facts for the sake of the entire industry. Has his Department made any official effort to find out what was behind the reports and correct them?
The Deputy will appreciate that Ministers cannot come into the House picking up the ends of every unsubstantiated rumour; they would have a stoop trying to answer all of these. In a co-ordinated way we checked out every source of possible complaint from Australia and New Zealand to Iraq through our embassies and found no basis for any such complaint.
That disposes of questions for today.