Minister backs down over claims Northern produce is 'not Irish'

LABOUR Party Minister of State Aodhán Ó Riordáin has deleted much-criticised comments he made complaining about food from the North of Ireland being labeled as 'Irish'. His criticism was dismissed by Minister of State for North/South cooperation Seán Sherlock.

On Sunday, the Dublin Bay North TD posted images to Twitter of three Irish chicken products - two of which were sourced from farms in the North - displaying the Bord Fáilte Quality Assurance Mark, saying:

"I have a big issue with branding in Tesco. Only one of these "Irish" products benefits our economy".

Reacting to the comments, former Mayor of Belfast Niall Ó Donghaille tweeted:

"Maybe the government minister doesn't see me as equally Irish, despite my label (i.e. Passport)?" and went on to ask whether he should "just return my passport to you, seeing as I don't benefit "your" economy and all?"

Fellow Government and Labour Party colleague Minister Seán Sherlock, who has responsibility for North/South cooperation, weighed into the debate saying that while he hadn't tried the particular chicken products, he was "sure there's little [difference] between a Tyrone chicken and a Monaghan one".

Ó Riordáin has since deleted his comments and told Minister Sherlock he was 'resigning from the chicken debate'.

The controversy came as concern grows within the Irish agriculture sector over new EU labeling regulations which would require a 'State of Origin' label. 

The anomaly of partition and the fact that livestock born one side of the border are often finished on the other side would result in a ‘mixed origin’ label being applied to food products from Ireland.

Sinn Féin has met with EU Commissioner Phil Hogan on the issue and is advocating an ‘Island of Ireland’ food label to deal with this problem. It is understood that Northern Agriculture Minister Michelle O'Neill and her counterpart in the South, Simon Coveney will also discuss the issue.