Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 October 2017
146. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the position regarding receiving access for Irish meat products to South Korea; the remaining stages in the approval process outstanding; and the timeframe for all stages to be completed and full access granted. [43351/17]
View answerBeef market access to South Korea is a high priority for my Department. This process began with the submission of market access questionnaires. In late 2015 we were informed via the European Commission that South Korea was to undertake inspection visits to Ireland in May 2016.
In May 2016 a delegation of 3 inspectors from the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (QIA) within the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) held a week long inspection visit to Ireland. They had meetings with the Department and site visits including two beef production establishments, beef & sheep farm, laboratories, rendering plant and knackery.
A follow on questionnaire was then submitted to South Korea as part of the process of seeking beef market access during the trade mission in September 2016. In June 2017, a delegation from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) inspected a number of meat processing plants and cold stores.
Ireland is currently at step four in a six step process for beef market access to South Korea. We are awaiting reports from both the QIA delegation and the MFDS visit. These reports will recommend whether market access should be granted to Ireland. This recommendation represents step five of the process. Should Ireland be successful in gaining market access for Irish beef, the delegation will return to inspect individual plants that want to export to Korea.
I intend to raise the matter of beef access and try to expedite the process during the Trade Mission to South Korea next month. In parallel, my officials plan to meet their counterparts for technical discussions aimed at moving the process forward.
Ireland currently has access for fresh/frozen pig meat and by-products to South Korea and a successful re-inspection visit was carried out in October/November 2016. Exports of pig meat to South Korea in 2016 totalled approximately 5048 tonnes valued at €11.2m.
When full access for beef has been granted, my Department can then proceed with an application to seek access to export sheepmeat to South Korea should anticipated demand for Irish sheepmeat indicate this as priority.
