There were eight consignments of beef rejected at border control posts (BCPs) in 2024 and 2025, according to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

BCPs are designated entry points to the EU market through which animals and consignments of food and food contact materials that are subject to increased checks must enter the EU.

In Ireland, BCPs are usually located on or near ports. The list of Irish BCPs that check food products includes: Dublin Port; Dublin Airport; Rosslare Europort; and Shannon Airport.

Food labelling

Amid concerns around food labelling and compliance, DAFM was present at a meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and Food this week on the topic.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), which has the statutory responsibility for enforcing food legislation in Ireland, also attended the meeting, along with Bord Bia.

DAFM's Ultan Waldron told the committee the Department of Health has lead responsibility for food labelling, but his department's remit encompasses both input to policy formulation and the implementation of official controls on beef labelling.

He explained that beef labelling is subject to "comprehensive regulations concerning cattle identification and the labelling of their meat".

"These provisions were introduced to provide a robust traceability system across the beef supply chain," Waldron said.

"They also serve to underpin consumer confidence in the integrity of the supply chain."

BCP checks

The department said that checks are carried out on imported beef from non-EU countries at BCPs.

"Imported beef is subject to 100% documentary and identification checks with a frequency of physical checks based on that prescribed under EU legislation which varies depending on the country concerned," Waldron explained.

"These prescribed frequencies are subject to change, and frequently do change, depending on findings in BCPs across the EU."

The department said during 2024 and 2025, eight consignments of beef were rejected at Irish BCPs - "of which only one was associated with identification non-compliances".

"The origin of that consignment was the UK," according to DAFM.