New horse meat scandal very worrying – Ferris

February 4, 2013

Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Agriculture and Food Martin Ferris TD has said tonight’s news that a third Irish company has been implicated in the horse meat scandal has the potential to seriously damage Ireland’s image for producing quality food and could jeopardise Irish jobs.

He said;

“This latest development is extremely worrying and is very bad news for those in the food industry. I had hoped that this story was restricted to the two companies first implicated and that any reputational damage would be limited. However this could change all that.

“Minister Coveney needs to come before the Oireachtas Committee tomorrow and give clear and concise answers to those of us on the committee. We need to know how this has been allowed to happen and what steps are going to be taken to ensure that it will be contained. 

“Ireland cannot afford to take a hit to our reputation for producing good quality food. It is the one area of our economy that is performing well and a lot of families rely on it. 

“Farmers are extremely annoyed that the amount of regulation they are expected to meet is obviously not replicated in other areas of the industry. They cannot understand the necessity to import any raw materials which are readily available in this country. 

“People's livelihoods, including farmers and those who work for these companies, are being put in jeopardy and that is totally unacceptable.”

ENDS