Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 November 2013
165. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which his Department continues to ensure the strict enforcement of traceability with particular reference to ensuring that all food imports are subject to the same criteria as those applicable in this jurisdiction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48758/13]
View answerThe Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), under the aegis of the Department of Health is the competent authority with overall responsibility for the enforcement of food legislation in Ireland. Controls on the import of food are implemented by a number of agencies, including my Department, through service contracts with the FSAI. In relation to traceability, EU Food Hygiene Regulations stipulate, among other things, that there should be ‘one up, one down’ traceability at each point along the food chain and I am satisfied that food business operators in this country generally meet that standard.
In relation to intra community trade, food can be traded freely within the Community provided they originate from EU approved plants. Consignments of meat imported into Ireland from third countries are checked at a Border Inspection Post (BIP) on arrival. There are two BIPs in Ireland, at Dublin port and Shannon airport, operated by my Department. Controls on imported products consist of three types of checks – documentary, identity and physical. All consignments have a documentary and identity check and a proportion of products as laid down in legislation are subject to physical checks.
Ireland operates EU harmonised import controls on products of animal origin arriving from non-EU (or third) countries. My Department operates these controls in collaboration with the Customs Services. Products of animal origin directly imports from third countries into Ireland that require import controls are not released by customs until they are notified by my department that the import controls have been completed satisfactorily and the consignment can be released. On release by customs the consignment must travel to the destination indicated on the common veterinary entry document issued by my Department.
The Environmental Health Service of the Health Service Executive also provides a range of food safety / food control services in accordance with its service contract with the FSAI. These controls include inspections and sampling of food sold in retail and catering establishments.
