Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 February 2022
464. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which he remains assured that food imports to Ireland directly or through the European Union continue to be subjected to the highest quality, production, hygiene and husbandry standards applicable throughout the European Union; if breaches have been detected in recent times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7344/22]
View answerFood products placed on the European marketplace are covered by a range of legislation designed to ensure that products supplied to consumers are of the highest safety standards.
The Department plays a key role in the enforcement of this legislation along with Competent Authorities in other Member States, other Irish Government departments and State Agencies such as the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and the Health Service Executive.
The import of products of animal origin from third countries is governed by a comprehensive and robust legislative framework laid down at EU level, controlled by Member States in the first instance, and audited by the European Commission’s Directorate General for Health and Food Safety to ensure compliance with all of the relevant food safety standards. The legislation imposes health and supervisory requirements designed to ensure that imported products meet standards equivalent to those required for production and trade between Member States.
Veterinary checks are carried out by staff from my Department on consignments of foods of animal origin imported from third countries at designated Border Control Posts. All such consignments undergo documentary and identity checks; physical checks, including sampling of products, are carried out according to European regulations. Import control procedures on products of animal origin are highly prescriptive and are strictly audited by the Directorate to ensure compliance. Audit finding reports are published on the Directorate’s website.
Where breaches of import conditions are identified the consignment will be detained by my Department and either destroyed, re-exported or altered sufficiently to remove and risks to human or animal health.
The control procedures that are in place and implemented by staff in my Department ensure, as much as is possible, that imported food products meet the required standards for placing on the EU market.
