Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 October 2014
104. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the amount of Polish beef imported legally for further processing by meat plants here in each of the past three years; the steps taken to prevent the illegal import of Polish beef to meat plants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39685/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe volume of beef imported from Poland over the last three years, as recorded by the CSO, is as follows:
|
Year |
Volume in tonnes |
|
2012 |
1,409 tonnes |
|
2013 |
419 tonnes |
|
2014 Jan-Jul |
106 tonnes |
Typically, beef imports from Poland are made up of lower value manufacturing product or carcase beef, which undergoes some further processing by Irish companies before re-export.
An annual audit of imported products is carried out in each meat plant by my Department. The audit includes physical identity, labelling and documentary checks and concerns product originating both in EU Member States and third countries. In addition, labelling and documentary checks form part of the routine checks conducted by Department officials.
Checks are also conducted at retail level by the Health Service Executive (HSE), working under the aegis of the FSAI, which has an overarching supervisory role in relation to labelling matters.
