The Minister for Agriculture, Joe Walsh, has told the Dáil that most of the EU accession states have not yet got their food production standards up to the grade required.
He said he had talks with a number of those countries this week and he had referred to the rigorous inspections taking place by food and veterinary personnel from the EU.
The minister said most of those countries had not yet received their 'bill of health' but he had told them there would be no dilution of food safety standards.
