Northern Ireland
Assembly
Paul Carlisle
Clerk to the Committee for
Agriculture and Rural Development
Parliament Buildings
Stormont
Belfast
BT4 3XX
Ms Mary Curley
Food Safety Liaison Unit
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
Agriculture House
Kildare Street
Dublin 2
13 March 2009
Dear Ms Curley
REVIEW OF DIOXIN CONTAMINATION INCIDENT
The Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development has asked that I write to formally express their grave concerns at the manner by which the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has dealt, and continues to deal, with this matter and, in particular, the consequences to the Northern Ireland agriculture industry due to the apparent absence of appropriate cooperation and communication with the Northern Ireland Department for Agriculture and Rural Development.
The Committee wishes to record their concerns as follows:
1. To examine and report on the sequence of events leading up to the discovery of the pigmeat dioxin contamination
The Committee has been advised that DAFF discovered the presence of marker PCBs, indicative of dioxin contamination, in pork fat during routine monitoring of the food chain for a range of contaminants and that, whilst test results were not known until 6 December 2008, DAFF was aware from 28 November 2008 that there was an unusual pattern developing in a sample taken on 19 November 2008. The Committee has also been advised that DAFF did not contact the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development until the afternoon of 5 December 2008 and that this contact did not relay the level of concern regarding the samples. The Food Safety Authority Ireland then issued a total recall from the market of all Irish pork products produced from pigs slaughtered in the State since 1st September, again without recourse to the Northern Ireland authorities.
This had the effect of seriously undermining the Northern Ireland industry and placing it in severe financial difficulties. Whilst the Republic of Ireland authorities pursued and achieved emergency funding from the European Union, the Northern Ireland industry, impacted by the panic created by FSAI hasty recall and an absence of coordination by Republic of Ireland authorities with counterparts in Northern Ireland, floundered to the extent that processors were faced with a very real threat of closure.
The Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development are concerned at the delay in relaying DAFF concerns to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Northern Ireland. The Committee believes that traceability systems in the Republic of Ireland should be sufficiently developed to have allowed the authorities to identify that feedstuffs had been exported to Northern Ireland. The Committee believes that it was incumbent that DAFF advise all necessary authorities of concerns at the earliest possible time and that it’s failure to do so placed the Northern Ireland pig industry in jeopardy.
2. To assess the actions taken by the relevant authorities and leading up to the withdrawal of products from the market
The Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development believes that the authorities and agencies adopted an insular approach leading up to and beyond the withdrawal of products from the market. It is obvious that, with the additional knowledge of the problem and the actions required, the authorities in the Republic of Ireland were able to identify the activities that were necessary to protect its interests. However, it failed to consider the impact on trade in live pigs between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, it failed to recognise how decisions to withdraw produce from retail outlets would negatively impact on consumer confidence in Northern Ireland and, most importantly, it failed to take account of the All Island Animal Health policy currently being developed by the relevant agricultural departments in Northern Ireland and in the Republic of Ireland. All these failures have led to uncertainty and mistrust as to whether such a policy will be operated on an equitable basis.
3. In the light of experience gained in the incident to make recommendations on future policy in relation to food and feed safety controls
The Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development would state that there is an urgent need to ensure that appropriate processes and procedures are in place to ensure that the relevant authorities in Northern Ireland are provided with appropriate notice of animal health concerns. The Committee would call on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to provide an assurance that the failures outlined at 2 above will not reoccur.
The Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development is currently considering the All Island Animal Health Strategy. The Committee has indicated that it will require greater evidence that the authorities in the Republic of Ireland will ensure closer cooperation with regard to this strategy.
4. To address the responsibility of all Food/Feed Business Operators along the food chain from primary production to the point of sale to the consumer to ensure full compliance with the legislative requirements to produce safe food.
The Committee agrees that there is a shared responsibility along the food chain but again would stress that that responsibility is not restricted to food/feed business operators in one or the other jurisdictions. The Committee accepts that trading occurs between the two jurisdictions and that both are bound by the same European legislation and directives. It is imperative, therefore, that the relevant authorities ensure that their business operators are complicit with the relevant EU legislative requirements. It is equally important, however, where it is found that an operator is non-compliant with legislative requirements and that this non-compliance could have a negative impact on a neighbouring jurisdiction, that the relevant authority should not act with the haste that was exemplified on this occasion to the detriment of the Northern Ireland industry. This is particularly relevant if both authorities are seriously pursuing means of closer cooperation with regards to animal health issues.
5. To look at how the relevant authorities/ and the food and feed business operators interact and to review/ their respective roles.
The Committee has been vociferous in voicing its concerns over the lack of communication between the authorities and business operators in the Republic of Ireland and those in Northern Ireland. This is the core of the problem and needs to be addressed at the very earliest stage. There was an unacceptable delay in relaying concerns to the Northern Ireland authorities, both at a governmental level and at a business level. Traceability systems and business records should have been sufficient to allow for an early relay of concerns and would have enabled a coordinated approach to dealing with this issue. These relationships need to be critically re-examined and new, stronger systems put in place. The Committee obviously feels strongly that the relevant Northern Ireland authorities/businesses should not be excluded from this review.
6. To assess the manner in which any future food safety incidents can be managed so as to ensure consumer health is protected whilst minimising the economic impact.
The Committee would draw DAFF’s attention to the severely negative economic impact on Northern Ireland producers and processors caused by the uncoordinated actions taken by it and FSAI on 6 – 7 December 2008. It is evident from the DAFF/FSAI timeline of events that these were insular, ad hoc and disjointed. There is no evidence within this timeline to indicate that the FSAI ordered the removal of products having previously consulted with the Chief Medical Officer. This is substantiated by the fact that an “Ad hoc expert group on human health” was only convened the day following the removal of produce and did not report until Wednesday 10 December 2008.
The Committee would suggest that this represents a model for ineffective and inefficient processes, coupled with corresponding negative impact that resulted in the Northern Ireland industry. Whilst the Committee believes that primacy should always be given to public health, the Committee would call for a coordinated and balanced approach in dealing with any future concerns of this nature. Both the Department and Agriculture and Rural Development and DAFF will appreciate the difficulties in regaining markets following a collapse in consumer confidence in our produce. The Committee is of the view that this must be avoided in the future.
The Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development is happy to discuss these matters further with you and would be grateful if a copy of your deliberations is forwarded through me at the above address
Yours faithfully Paul Carlisle
Clerk to the Committee for
Agriculture and Rural Development