Ciarán Mullooly: Meat Risks in Irish Schools, Demands Answers

Thank you, Cathaoirleach. Firstly, and just on the last issue, I agree with Senator Flanagan about the, about the, the, where are we? I'm not a senator yet. I beg your pardon, MEP Flanagan, former, former senator, in relation to where things are. I mean, when you speak, and Manus Ball has, Senator Ball has been out several times. When you speak, I'm a new senator, people say to me, the origin of this is the Brexit deal. This is where we initially lost out, despite promises at the time that we'd be considered. I remember in my old job, interviewing the European Commission and Minister of the Sea, saying, and the welfare of fishermen in Ireland will be looked after. You lost 10, 12% of your, your, 24%. There you go, from the horse, from the horse. That's the origin of the deal. Correcting it is not going to be easy. It might be popular for me to tell you there's going to be a hundred ways of doing it, but there's not. There's not. And while efforts have been made, I was particularly disappointed last December that we didn't do better in terms of the negotiations that were going on. It's a bit like CAP, it's a bit like Mercosur in the European Commission. You have to form alliances. You've got to get people with you around the table. And that didn't happen last December in the fishery negotiations at that stage either. I want to refer briefly to the issue of the, there was a question regarding the Israel settlements, the prohibition of import, importation of goods bill. And, you know, I know, I see the government has justified the approach they've made on the basis of, say, of legal advice, that it's going to be limited to goods and indeed does not extend to services. But what I'm curious about is that, you know, and I note that the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee, pre-legislative scrutiny, supported the inclusion of services. Yet this is now to be disregarded by the government and consensus. What is the point of the Oireachtas Foreign Affairs Committee carrying out this work if it's going to be ignored? I ask on that question. In relation to clarifying my comments today, just to reiterate them for, thank you to Senator Riley and Senator Flaherty for the kind comments. Reiterate my comments in relation to school meals. Last October, November, a consignment, albeit a small consignment of beef came in from Northern Ireland into this country. Consignment included illegal animal growth promoters called Astridol. It's carcinogenic. It came from the UK. I spoke last Thursday to the Commissioner, Oliver Verheel, to ask him how this could happen. He explained to me what is happening, how it happened on two occasions. Number one, through the UK. Number two, to Antwerp. Three different consignments brought in, three different boats to Antwerp. Antwerp, he says, we're on top of it. It's pre-, it's frozen, in many cases pre-packed. And Antwerp, our new safeguards are there. You know, we're going to hope that they do the job. In the UK, he can't put his hand on his heart and say we have the safeguards. Because they're not there. And I asked him, there's an agreement which does not provide the same level, if I could finish the point, does not provide the same level of audit. That's the bottom line in regard to it. In regard to school meals, they came up in that discussion with regard to who's using them. I said UK-based, not Irish, I said UK-based frozen meat. That's what came in and was consumed in this country. By a family, by a family, not in a school situation, in a family situation. Thank you, thank you Ciarán. That's what I said last Thursday and I make it clear again today. For the want of clarity, for the want of clarity on the issue. Members, members, members, members, members, members. For the want of clarity on the issue. Ciarán Mulholland has possession, I'd ask him to continue without anybody interrupting. Please, out of respect for our guests, I'd like you to let them finish their contribution. Thank you. Chairman, Chairman, the facts are as follows. At the moment, Brazilian beef is not safe on the European list. And it's been stopped. There's no school impact. Everybody gets their time. This part is for the MEPs to finalise their contributions to the questions they're asked. Thank you. As a result of that, the Commissioner has said he requires safeguards to be improved. And checked with regard to Brazilian beef before the 1st of September. Or it will be off altogether. The focus we have in the intervening period is the UK coming in here. Meat from the UK coming in. Frozen and pre-packed. That includes pre-packed food coming in. That includes pre-packed food coming in to schools and to hospitals. In certain cases. I asked the Food Safety Authority to investigate this. They have not been in a position to clarify it. That's detrimental to what's going on here today. That's detrimental. We have farmers in this country. That's detrimental to what's going on here. That's absolutely criminal. That's detrimental to our beef sector. Our beef farmers are suffering at this minute in time. Where beef is falling every day by 20 cents a litre. MEPs are doing this. That's detrimental. That's disgusting. Senator Brady. No way. On a point of order. We have not changed the ruling. We have not changed the ruling. We need a clarification. There are parents sending children to school. This matter needs clarification. On a point of order. It has to be sorted. The guests with us are entitled to answer the questions in any way they feel appropriate. I'm not directing how they do it. Everybody has been given the opportunity to ask their questions. MEPs are entitled to give their contribution. I'm going to give more time. There have been a number of interruptions. Thank you. If the meat coming into your school is Irish beef, there is no issue with regard to the health and safety of it. If the meat coming into your school is from the UK, I am asking questions that the Safety Commissioner is asking questions. We need it clarified. I'm not prepared to wait until the 3rd of September for this. I've told the Food Safety Authority very clearly. I couldn't make it any clearer. I've answered the question. I couldn't make it any clearer. If the meat in your school is from... If your meat is coming in... Sorry. On a point of order. On a point of order. Withdraw that statement. Withdraw that remark. On a point of order. There is absolutely no evidence in that whatsoever. Members. A question has been asked. A member of the European Parliament is answering the question. Any member is entitled to answer the question any way they feel fit. That is the rule of the house. Sorry. Senator Bray, no. We have not changed the way this debate is structured. Sorry. Hundreds of people working in the school luncheon sector. We have another few children. I want that man to withdraw the remark. He needs to withdraw that remark. He has absolutely no evidence. You did not address what you said. Senator. You did not address what you said. The structure of the debate has been outlined and agreed by the house today. We're not concerned with the structure of the debate. What we're concerned is a scurrilous accusation Members are aware Members are aware Members are aware whether a minister or anybody comes into this house and they are giving their answer they are giving their answer. Right? He is not standing over what he says. He is entitled Sorry Mr Maloney The members everybody ministers, everybody, yourselves are entitled to answer the questions put to them in the way that they feel appropriate. That is the way. We've lost more time and I want to go on to our final contribution before the leader He still has 30 minutes left I'll give you one more minute Kieran Maloney Kieran Maloney without interruption Everyone's aware of all the questions being asked of the members of the European Parliament They're answering the questions as they see it. Can I ask Kieran Maloney Thank you very much Kieran I'll try and wrap it up for you I'm coming to your questions I'm coming to your questions if I get an opportunity We'll give one more minute I want to get on to Chair, I've been in public life as a journalist and a politician for 37 years My record stands as it stands for 37 years I'm honoured by my peers and by others my work in journalism I don't have to answer I don't have to answer questions in relation to that. I make the statement for clarity. Irish beef not a problem. Irish school meals based on Irish beef, not a problem. Beef coming from the UK without proper audit, problem. And frozen meat into schools from the UK is a problem It's continuing and I won't stand by Just to clarify in relation to the other comments Can I make the comment? Can I make the comment? Can I prove that Brazilian beef is going into Irish schools and hospitals via the UK. I'm so sorry but the amount of businesses that are going to be affected by this he's not answering it The question was his initial remarks to withdraw it I'm not withdrawing anything I told you what I said about the UK UK meat Every guest Every guest Everybody invited The problem is Brazilian beef coming through the UK The commissioner The commissioner made it very clear Senator Comer Senator Comer Senator Davids I want to know should I not get to school meals anymore Should I not get to school meals anymore Excuse me Ask Kier Mulhoody to finalise his contribution I'm way over time on his contribution I know there have been a number of interruptions I want to get to Maria Walsh before I ask the leader Senator Comer just to answer My settlement from RTE for the record was less than the due amount to the presenter of the Late Late Show. I don't have to answer that question. That was my final settlement I'm answering it anyway. That was the question you raised. In relation to my comments in Brussels in general. I have to say for 35 years I've asked questions. I will continue to ask hard questions about where I am If you're going to interrupt I mean it speaks something in terms of parliamentary I'd ask questions of the director I'll finish with these words I've learned a hard lesson I owe apologies. I was sloppy Do you recognise those? With the tanks? They were the ones from your colleague Timmy Dooley when he managed to leave the chamber in this house even though six votes had been taken in his absence. Do you remember that? In terms of mistakes In terms of mistakes I think that's the best way I can describe it You've said a statement here today and you won't stand over it In terms of mistakes Point of order Minister Dooley isn't here to defend himself so that has to be a scandalous comment Join Minister Dooley when I make those comments. Thank you chair You're usually in attendance Can I just say Can I just say today that Ciarán Maloody is in the hot seat because it's normally me Can I call on Maria Walsh MEP Maria Walsh