Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 26 Mar 1997

Vol. 477 No. 1

Written Answers. - Beef Exports.

Desmond J. O'Malley

Ceist:

21 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason Irish beef that was purportedly exported to Iraq in 1988 is still held in the Canary Islands, Spain where it is the subject of police investigation; whether export refunds were paid on this beef; if so, whether the securities therefor were forfeited; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this beef appears to have come from intervention and is likely to have been slaughtered in or before 1986; and his views on whether this is a satisfactory way to deal with Irish beef. [8390/97]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

A quantity of beef which had been exported to Iraq in 1988 was diverted to the Canary Islands following rejection by the Iraqi authorities. This diversion was notified to my Department at the time and was permissable under EU regulations as the Canaries were then outside the European Community. While export refunds had been paid for this beef in advance, as is the normal practice, the relevant securities have been held pending the outcome of a Commission investigation which has been undertaken in co-operation with my Department. My understanding is that this beef became the subject of a commercial legal dispute in the Canaries which proved very lengthy. However, with regard to payment of export refunds, the issue to be determined is the quality and type of beef at the time of its release into free circulation in the Canaries, following its importation. We will act upon the findings of the investigation when it is completed.

While it is totally unsatisfactory that Irish beef remains uneaten years after it has been imported, this is a matter for the importer and is of course completely outside my control.