Vol. 515 No. 6
107 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the food imports, if any, in particular, patés and sausage meat, which contain SRM; the controls, if any, in place to monitor these materials in imported food; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6576/00]
The specified risk material rules in operation in Ireland are based on those set down in Commission decision 97/534/EC and were introduced in February 1997 in the diseases of animals (BSE) (specified risk material) order 1997, (S.I. No. 80 of 1997).
However, pending the agreement and implementation by the European Council of harmonised rules on SRMs throughout the EU, SRM policy remains a matter for member states.
At present, eight member states operate such policies. Each of these member states effects the controls necessary to ensure that SRM material does not get into food for domestic consumption or for export.
The EU wide introduction of such rules is a sensible and prudent course of action, even in relation to those member states which have not reported indigenous BSE cases and I have argued that such rules be put in place on an EU wide basis to maximise the level of protection of public health and animal health.
