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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 15 Jun 1999

Vol. 506 No. 2

Written Answers. - Shellfish Industry.

Enda Kenny

Question:

122 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if his attention has been draw to the fact that up to £1.5 million of products are at risk of being lost in the Irish shellfish industry due to an alleged health alert initiated by the French Government; if his attention has further been drawn to the difficulties this poses for Irish shellfish producers particularly on the west coast; if he has contacted his French counterpart and the European Commission in order to have this matter sorted out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15121/99]

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and as a precautionary measure, frozen Irish mussels produced between June and September, 1998 were temporarily withdrawn from the market.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.

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