7 Mar 2012, 15:24
At total of €138 million has been spent by the State in compensating those impacted by the dioxin contamination that led to the recall of all pigmeat products in 2008. At the PAC tomorrow, the robustness of the contamination scheme will be examined. In addition the PAC will want to know what changes have been implemented to minimise the risk of further contamination.
Chairman of the Committee, John McGuinness outlined how the C&AG identified certain concerns about the compensation scheme where claims by processors were inaccurate and where it could not be established that the products claimed for were Irish.
Deputy McGuinness said: “I recognise that once the recall was ordered that the Department was placed in a difficult position in having to pay compensation where pigmeat products had to be destroyed quickly. What we will be looking at tomorrow is to see what lessons have been learned and in particular the Committee will examine the area of traceability and the effectiveness of the inspection system. Had these two areas been more effective, it may not have been necessary to order a total recall.
The Committee will also examine the vote of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which has net expenditure of €1.4 billion. We will be looking at the ongoing costs of issues such as disease eradication and the impact of schemes that are designed to make farming more productive and also protect the environment.”
In addition to the Secretary General of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the CEO of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland will also attend the meeting tomorrow, March 8th at 10am in Committee Room 1
Committee proceedings can be followed live at: http://bit.ly/24YmPI
Ends
For further information please contact:
Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
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Dublin 2
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Committee of Public Accounts
Membership
John McGuinness (Chairman)
Kieran O’Donnell (Vice Chairman)
Paul J Connaughton,
John Deasy,
Paschal Donohoe,
Anne Ferris,
Simon Harris,
Michael McCarthy,
Mary Lou McDonald,
Sean Fleming,
Eoghan Murphy,
Derek Nolan,
Shane Ross