Clare Daly
Question:1007. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Health the steps that have been taken to monitor the levels of radiation in food and fish from Japan as a result of the Fukushima radiation leaks. [45719/13]
View answerTuesday, 5 November 2013
Questions (1007)
Written answers
Following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan in March 2011, the European Commission introduced safeguard controls on all imported feed and food products originating in or consigned from Japan. These controls included the testing of all feed and food prior to export from Japan and the provision of a declaration from the Japanese authorities attesting that the product did not exceed the EU's maximum permitted levels of radionuclides. In addition, such products are also subject to random testing in the EU.
The above safeguard measures have been reviewed and amended a number of times taking into account the most up to date occurrence data provided by the Japanese authorities on radioactivity in feed and food and imposed controls continue in accordance with these amendments. Officials from my Department attend regular meetings at EU level to ensure that we are kept fully informed of all international developments in this area.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has advised me that the amount of foodstuffs imported from Japan is minuscule. Notwithstanding this however, the FSAI is in constant contact with all the relevant agencies involved in import controls (including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority, the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland and the HSE) to ensure that imports from the affected areas of Japan are monitored for levels of radiation.