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Food Safety Standards Regulation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 February 2013

Tuesday, 12 February 2013

Questions (599)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

599. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the degree to which he and his Department expects to be in a position to counter any negativity arising from recent traceability or quality breakdowns with particular reference to quality assurance on worldwide markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7375/13]

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Written answers

Following the findings of the FSAI Survey on the authenticity of meat products (published on January 15), which disclosed the presence of horse meat in burgers and the identification in the follow up investigation of the source, the problem has developed into a pan European investigation of food fraud involving a range of meat products and traders/food business operators.

My aim throughout this situation has been to ensure that everything possible is done to fully restore consumer confidence in the Irish meat sector. I asked Bord Bia to maintain constant contact with our export markets to reassure international buyers that there is no food safety issue involved and that the issue has been dealt with swiftly and appropriately by the Irish authorities. Initial market impact at consumer level (weekend of Jan 20) indicated that the controversy was largely confined within the UK and Irish markets, where the affected products were on sale and taken off the shelf, where the media coverage has been intense and consumer awareness very high. The research indicated that consumers were ring-fencing the problem to this particular segment of the market, and not extending or generalising it to the wider industry. The processed meat sector is a relatively limited segment of the total Irish meat market and is not otherwise impacting on Irish food exports. Beyond these markets, media coverage, interest and awareness has been limited and no concerns whatever have been reported to Bord Bia by trade buyers or consumers. The fact that our controls identified this particular issue and the manner in which it has been addressed will assist in maintaining the confidence in Irish food.

The Irish beef industry has a blue chip portfolio of high end supermarket and food service business in Europe’s consumer markets that is without parallel. The industry’s success is based on robust relationships with premium customers built up over an extended period and based on a track record of high quality standards, underpinned by our green credentials. More than 75% of all Irish beef exported is produced from some 34,000 farms which are members of the Bord Bia Quality Assurance Scheme. Similarly, under Bord Bia’s Origin Green programme, most of our meat exporters have also signed up to the implementation of a sustainability plan that commits them to the achievement of stretch targets in key areas around emissions, water, biodiversity and health and well-being. Based on these programmes Bord Bia will continue to strongly assert our high quality standards and green credentials at every opportunity. Recent and forthcoming international trade events at which Bord Bia have participated included Sirha Trade Show (Lyon), where Irish beef was selected to be the ingredient in the prestigious Bocuse D’or competition, Prodexpo (Russia) and Gulf Food – the world’s biggest food and hospitality exhibition. All of these trade events will be attended by a number of Irish meat companies who will be promoting the quality and sustainability of Irish beef, emphasising that we continue to adopt the highest standards of traceability and safety in our meat industry.

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