Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 June 2017
1713. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 240 of 25 May 2017, his plans to commission an independent review of his Department's organic certification system for farmed salmon; and his further plans to withdraw organic certification from salmon farms pending the outcome of that review. [28830/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe certification system for organic salmon in Ireland is subject to ongoing review and assessment by my Department and was also included in last year’s comprehensive audit by the EU of the controls applied by Ireland in the organic sector generally. The EU team had a number of specific recommendations to make in relation to aquaculture, including the inspection of organic salmon farms, which my Department recognises as constructive and which are being implemented. I have no plan for a further independent review of the nature suggested by the Deputy. However, as indicated in previous replies to similar questions from the Deputy, my Department is reviewing compliance by a specific operator with the existing suite of organic requirements. Investigations and reviews of this nature are an important part of my Department’s controls in this area.
