600. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the legal basis for the continued requirement for original hard-copy phytosanitary certificates for imported plant products entering Ireland; whether electronic phytosanitary certificates are accepted in other EU member states; and if his Department will examine the wider adoption of electronic certification systems to reduce delays for importers of perishable goods. [52980/26]

606. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine whether Ireland participates in the International Plant Protection Convention's ePhyto system; the extent to which electronic phytosanitary certificates are currently utilised by his Department; and the plans that exist to expand their use to facilitate trade and reduce administrative burdens. [52986/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 600 and 606 together.

Ireland is a contracting party to the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and does participate where possible with the e-Phyto system. It is important at the outset to explain that the system works on the basis of a sending country and receiving country both having their own national e-Phyto system that generates certificates in compliance with the IPPC convention, and in a format that can be exchanged through the IPPC e-Phyto exchange hub.

For imports of plants and plant products into Ireland from third countries, Ireland use the EU traces system. The Traces system will accept e-Phyto certificates from those countries that are connected to the IPPC e-Phyto hub through an appropriate and acceptable national system.

Similarly for exports Ireland and DAFM has it own Export Certification system (ECS) and this system is connected to the IPPC e-Phyto hub; this allows Ireland to send e-Phyto's for exports of plants and plant products to those countries that are connected  to the IPPC e-Phyto hub through an appropriate and acceptable national system.

In the absence of e-Phyto connectivity either through the absence of national e-Phyto system or the temporary absence of such a system countries are required to use hard copy originals which must accompany the consignment as set down in the IPPC standards as well as the EU Plant health law and Official Controls Regulation.