Food Labelling

Wednesday, 2 November 2011

Questions (380)

Bernard J. Durkan

Question:

390 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total amount of beef, lamb, pig meat or poultry imports; if any product was re-labelled and re-marketed as Irish produce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31929/11]

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Written answers

Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Deputy Simon Coveney)

The following imports of meats into this country over the past three years from both EU and non-EU countries have been recorded:

	tonnes	tonnes	tonnes
	2009	2010	2011**
Beef	25,548	27,672	17,717
Salted Beef	118	254	147
Bovine Meat and Offal Preparations*	7,469	12,092	9,985
Total	33,135	40,018	27,849
Sheep meat Total	4,020	3,130	2,144
Pigmeat	38,724	32,873	26,934
Salted Pigmeat	7,201	7,346	4,084
Pig Meat & Offal Preparations*	13,000	16,883	13,801
Total	58,925	57,102	44,819
Poultrymeat	53,329	55,713	35,363
Poultry Meat and Offal preparations*	21,793	24,043	14,451
Total	75,122	79,756	49,814
*Not included
livers	1349	1777	1822
Sausages	13516	13410	7522
Other preparations (preserved or prepared meats)	4882	6777	3012
Other edible meals and meat offal	372	2850	1434

** to end July 2011

Source: CSO

Responsibility for the enforcement of general food labelling legislation, including country of origin, rests with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), a body under the aegis of the Minister for Health. This is achieved through service contracts between the FSAI and the relevant agencies including the Health Service Executive, the Local Authority Veterinary Service, the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and my Department. This Department carries out checks under the poultry meat marketing standards regulations, including checks on labelling, at retail and wholesale premises. In 2010 a total of 1160 inspections were carried out and in a total of 7 cases, disposal orders were issued for major non-compliance with the marketing standards.