Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 11 February 2026
258. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will confirm for intra-EU trade to and from Ireland whether TRACES is the only system that is used to record animal and animal products exports from and imports to Ireland, or if there is any other system or database used for the purpose of recording such trade-related information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10513/26]
View answerRecording of intra-EU movement of animals is maintained on the EU TRACES database and is supervised in Ireland by my Department. Food of animal origin, placed on the market in compliance with EU food law, does not require TRACES notification, in line with the principle of free movement of goods within the EU. Certain animal by-products and germinal products require TRACES notification. Additional notifications are required for animal products moving from animal health restriction zones or where the Commission has imposed safeguard measures requiring extra traceability and prior notification.
Traceability in the food chain is provided for under Article 18 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 which requires that all food and feed businesses in the EU implement a traceability system based on the food business operator’s responsibility to maintain records of ‘one step forward and one step back’ which ensures that they can identify immediate suppliers and customers. This requirement is applicable to all stages of production with some exceptions (e.g. details of the final consumers are not normally maintained by retail establishments). The primary responsibility of maintaining records supporting traceability rests with the food business operator and these records must be made available on demand to authorised officers of the competent authorities who verify compliance.
Labelling of meat, as required by EU Regulation 2011/1169, EU Regulation 1760/2000 (beef traceability), EU Regulation 1337/2013 (origin of pigs, sheep, goats and poultry) also plays a central role in traceability. The location of meat products and the auditing of compliance with traceability recording and the labelling legislative requirements are conducted by my Department in the establishments under My Departments supervision at a frequency determined on a risk-basis.
The CSO publishes International Trade in Goods statistics for both Intra-EU and Extra-EU Trade data.
