Enterprise, Trade and Investment

Part of Oral Answers to Questions – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 2:15 pm on 19 March 2013.

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Photo of Arlene Foster Arlene Foster DUP 2:15, 19 March 2013

As the Member knows, we have long said that Northern Ireland has a strong traceability system in place, so there is traceability from the farm to the fork.  We should be very confident of all fresh produce in Northern Ireland, and we will continue to be confident of it.  We must recognise that contamination is a Europe-wide issue, and I believe that a solution will come from a European level.  We will, of course, work with all the relevant agencies to make sure that that is the case.

I reiterate: food produced in Northern Ireland is of stellar quality.  We should all be ambassadors for food from Northern Ireland.  I had the great pleasure of doing that on HMS Belfast last Friday, 15 March, when I hosted an Invest Northern Ireland reception celebrating St Patrick.  We talked a lot about St Patrick's Trail and all that south Down has to offer, but we also talked about good food and the fact that food from Northern Ireland has a strong heritage and authenticity, of which we should be proud.