Denis Naughten
Question:104 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food his proposals for food labelling; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29106/03]
Written Answers. - Food Labelling.
Food labeling is a complicated and broad based area, to which I have devoted considerable attention. Our primary aim in doing so is to protect consumer interest and to ensure that the consumer is properly informed.
I was concerned, in particular, about the difficulty caused for consumers by the multiplicity of Departments and agencies involved in consumer information on labelling and especially in the enforcement of the regulations. As a result, and following a recommendation I received from the consumer liaison panel, I set up the food labelling group in July 2002 to examine the issues of concern to consumers with regard to labelling.
In December last, the labelling group presented its report to me. It contained 21 recommendations covering general labelling rules, policy and enforcement, consumer education and awareness and origin. I accepted the recommendations of the group. As the recommendations covered issues within the responsibility of a number of Departments and Government agencies, I set up an interdepartmental-agency group to progress implementation of the recommendations. Considerable progress has been achieved in implementing the report and especially on the two main issues emanating from the report – the centralisation of enforcement of food labelling regulations in the Food Safety Authority and the definition of origin of meat.
On the centralisation of enforcement, responsibility for the general food labelling legislation was transferred from the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment to the Department of Health and Children in June of this year, with the enforcement of those regulations coming within the remit of the FSAI. Responsibility for the enforcement of my Department's beef labelling regulations was transferred to the FSAI last January and responsibility for other labelling regulations will be formally transferred shortly.
There was full agreement within the food labelling group that consumers should have a right to information on the origin of the meat they cook in their homes or eat out. While the group could not agree on how origin should be defined, there was unanimous agreement that further research was necessary to establish consumers' wishes in this area. At my request, the consumer liaison panel drew up a strategy for this research and has commissioned same. At this stage, the research is almost completed and I expect the consumer panel to report to me on the results before the end of this year.
I will briefly outline progress on other recommendations of the food labelling group. The food labelling group recognised the concerns of consumers that there needed to be clearer information on labels about allergens. An EU regulation on allergen labelling in food was adopted by Council and Parliament in September 2003. There are two proposals being progressed at EU level relating to nutritional health and functional claims and nutritional labelling. With regard to education and information, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has been asked to incorporate a module on food safety, labelling and consumer issues into the primary and secondary school curricula.
The group's recommendation on informing the consumer of the price per weight unit was addressed in legislation introduced by the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment in March this year. The labelling group emphasised the responsibility of the food sector to produce safe food and to provide on all food and drink labels information that is clear, accurate and easy to read. In July 2003, I launched an industry guide for clear labelling for food and drinks which was prepared by the food and drink industry in Ireland.
Significant progress has been made and I intend to pursue this matter to ensure that any deficiencies in food labelling are addressed.