Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 January 2021
508. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of trucks entering Ireland from the UK that have been inspected physically in relation to compliance with the new EU-UK Brexit agreement rules on food, animal and plant safety to date in 2021; the total number of such trucks that entered Ireland; the requirement for same as laid down in the agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3422/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraEU Regulations require that live animals and plants, plant and animal products, coming from non-EU countries, are subject to import controls, at the first point of entry to the European Union. These so called sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) import controls, are separate from customs controls. SPS controls apply to all non-EU countries, regardless of whether the non-EU country has a free trade deal with the EU or not. On 1st January, these SPS controls came into force for plants, animals, and products made therefrom, coming from GB.
SPS import controls consist of three types; documentary, identity and physical. The frequency of each type of control is laid down in EU Regulations that are directly implementable in the Member States. All vehicles carrying consignments of live animals and animal products must be physically presented at the border control post for control. In the case of plant and plant products, some vehicles may not be required to present, provided correctly completed health certificates and advance notification have been provided in advance, and physical checks are not required.
From 1st January to 8 am on 20 January, approximately 600 trucks coming off ferries from the UK have been checked by my Department at Dublin Port.
