The report on the ‘Equine DNA and Mislabelling of Processed Beef Investigation’, published on 14 March, includes details of the companies that came to my Department’s attention during this investigation and the actions taken by the Department. Operations in a total of four plants were suspended (in some cases on a voluntary basis) for varying periods arising from the investigation. Information in relation to activities by traders and other intermediaries in the supply chain outside of the jurisdiction has been passed to Europol and other Member States to facilitate continuing investigations in other countries.
My Department is considering the possibility of instituting legal proceedings where appropriate, as indicated in the report. It is important to note in that context that while some of the failures referred to in the report risked reputational damage to the Irish food sector, they did not breach EU or national law. The fact is that the Irish authorities were the first to discover and disclose this problem of adulteration of beef products, which turned out to be a pan European problem. The investigation team worked closely with colleagues in other Member States, facilitating investigations in those countries. Exposure of this malpractice will result in improved consumer protection not just in Ireland, but also in the UK and elsewhere. We remain fully open to assisting any other Member State or entity with regard to ongoing investigations in other jurisdictions and will continue to do so in a transparent manner, as has been the practice throughout the equine DNA investigation.
