Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 May 2023
507. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm the process that is in place and followed in Ireland to verify the accuracy of information recorded by those exporting either live animals or animal products on TRACES - the European Commission's online platform for sanitary and phytosanitary certification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21458/23]
View answer510. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm for intra-EU and EU trade to and from Ireland that is recorded on TRACES, if animal products such a meat from bovines, ovines or porcines that has not been processed beyond its raw state, either chilled or frozen, can be categorised as food on the system and thereby make it impossible to determine the species of animal it came from; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21461/23]
View answer511. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm for intra-EU trade to and from Ireland whether TRACES is the only system that is used to record animal and animal products exports from and imports to Ireland, or if there is any other system or database used for the purpose of recording such trade-related information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21462/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 507, 510 and 511 together.
Official controls and certification provide the necessary assurance to our trading partners that Ireland is as a safe, secure, and sustainable source of agri-food products. In the case of intracommunity movements to and from Ireland and other Member States, the requirements of these trade-related movements and the accompanying official sanitary and phytosanitary certificates are set in EU law and the same rules apply across the EU, including for example the Animal Health Law in the case of live animals and animal products and the Plant Health Law in the case of plants and crops. The controls carried out by officials in my Department are based on the legislation in place, including verification of authenticity at all stages through the food production chain.
As the Deputy is aware, the EU is a single market for food products, and therefore official certification is not required for intracommunity movements of dairy ,dairy products, meat and meat products. It is required for animals and certain animal by-products.
My Department has detailed procedures, guidance and training in place for certifying officers and other officials carrying out regulatory controls along all stages of the food chain, from production and processing through to movement , including the frequency of risk-based controls, and specific conditions of individual certificates.
The IT systems that support official certification are TRACES, my own Department's Export Certification System and Dairy Produce Certification System. There are other systems used for recording a range of trade-related controls and information within my Department, including the Animal Identification and Movement system, and the Agriculture Field and Inspection Testing system.
