The Minister for Agriculture Food & the Marine Michael Creed T.D. today launched a report by the Campylobacter Stakeholders Group chaired by Professor Patrick Wall and whose membership were drawn from across the poultry meat sector.  The group’s remit was to ensure that collective actions were taken across the entire supply chain to further improve biosecurity and other standards and minimise any risk of Campylobacter infection from poultry meat.

Over the past two years the group initiated and recommended a number of actions, including the development of an optimum bio-security protocol for growers, consideration of new post harvest interventions by commercial processors, educating consumers, and enhanced surveillance.

In thanking the stakeholder group today the Minister commented “In Ireland we pride ourselves in being a centre of excellence for food production and we must always be conscious that the protection of public health is paramount.  Responsibility for producing safe food rests with all the stakeholders along the food chain and I commend all the members of this Group for working collaboratively to ensure everything that can be done, is being done, to deliver the best quality chicken produced to the highest possible food safety standards  to Irish consumers. I would like to thank Professor Patrick Wall for chairing the Group and those who gave so much of their time and vast expertise towards producing this report and its recommendations.”

He continued, “My Department is supportive of this proactive approach to raising standards above the legal requirements and ensuring and the best possible food safety outcomes and that  the very strong  reputation of Irish food is maintained. I am pleased to be able to provide some assistance by way of €17m earmarked by the Department for a specialised pig and poultry investment scheme under TAMS II. This is a journey of continuous improvement and I encourage the stakeholders to continue to seek new solutions and new risk management strategies as the science evolves.”

Professor Patrick Wall said “This Stakeholder Group brought all the stakeholders together to share their knowledge and implement a process of continuous improvement taking on board the latest scientific developments to ensure the safest product possible is delivered to Irish consumers.  Consumers expect the industry to do everything to protect their health and the health of their families and this proactive collaboration to address the challenge of campylobacter is a model of good practice for the entire agri-food industry.”

Notes for Editors

Campylobacter is the commonest cause of bacterial food poisoning in Ireland, and throughout the EU, and presents a challenge to public health authorities attempting to reduce the incidence of human disease. The bacteria is found in pigs, cattle and poultry, but it is acknowledged that poultry meat is the most significant source of Campylobacter causing infections in humans.  

Chair of the Committee

Professor Patrick Wall

Group Members:

Vincent Carton                      Manor Farm/Carton Bros

Justin Carton                         Manor Farm/Carton Bros

Tom Horan                             Manor Farm/Carton Bros

Joyce Johnston                      Manor Farm/Carton Bros

Eugene Lannon                     Western Brand

Diarmaid Kirby                       Western Brand

Kieran O Regan                     Shannonvale Foods

Conor Nyhan                         Shannonvale Foods

Ursula Lavery                        Moypark

Anne Richmond                      Moypark

Aaron McKenna                      Moypark

Gary Keraney                         Safe food

Michael Maloney                     Bord Bia

Frank Judge                            Bord Bia

Nigel Renaghan                      IFA

Michael Duffy                          IFA

Robert Malone                        IFA

Thomas Burke                        IBEC

Ciaran Cunningham               Agrihealth Vets

Rebecca Mc Alister                  St Davids Vets

Liam Walsh                             St Davids Vets

David Evans                            Aldi

Samantha Broderick                Aldi

Ruth Dalton                             Musgraves                           

Ray Bowe                                Musgraves

Karen Munnelly                        Craft Butchers

Dermot McGrath                      Tesco

Tracey Mc Dermot                    Tesco

Selena Burke                           BWG

Elaine Clohosey                       BWG

Trish Twohig                            Iceland

Paul Burke                               Dunnes Stores

Denise Lord                             Gala

Aoife Harrison                          Lidl

Patrick Wall                             UCD

Michelle Burke                         Devenish Nutrition (Secretary)

Other participants:

Martin Blake                           DAFM

David W Nolan                       DAFM

John Egan                              DAFM

Martina Kearney                    DAFM

Clare Faulkner                       DAFM

Mark Mc Carthy                      DAFM

Donal Sammin                        DAFM

Lisa O Connor                        FSAI

The report may viewed by clicking HERE

To view this Press Release as a PDF: DAFMPR 83/2017 (pdf 377Kb) 

The Minister for Agriculture Food & the Marine Michael Creed T.D. today launched a report by the Campylobacter Stakeholders Group chaired by Professor Patrick Wall and whose membership were drawn from across the poultry meat sector.

Date Released: 10 May 2017