Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 14 Nov 1990

Vol. 402 No. 6

Written Answers - Fruit and Vegetable Inspectors.

John Bruton

Question:

20 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the number of inspectors employed in enforcing EC quality standards for fresh fruit and vegetables; and the average frequency with which these inspectors visit outlets for the sale of vegetables.

Minister for Agriculture and Food (Mr. O'Kennedy)

There are 19 inspectors (including supervisory staff) engaged in the enforcement of EC quality standards for fresh fruit and vegetables.

Wholesale outlets are inspected daily in the Dublin fruit and vegetable market where six inspectors carry out inspections of imported and domestic produce. In addition inspections are carried out regularly in premises engaged in prepackaging of produce. In the principal provincial towns inspectons of wholesale outlets are carried out weekly.

The frequency of inspection of the principal retail outlets varies from three to eight inspections per annum.