My colleague, the Minister for Health, has overall responsibility for as the general food labelling legislation and new EU food information regulations which were adopted by the Council of Health Ministers in December 2011, although my department has a role in relation to mandatory origin labelling and marketing standards regulations.
I am satisfied that all the necessary information as required by EU and national legislation is provided to consumers for all meats and meat products produced in Ireland. I have no plans to undertake research focussed on the introduction of the kind of labelling suggested by the deputy, though I can confirm that my Department supports a range of initiatives to improve the environment under its Rural Development Programme.