Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 Feb 2000

Vol. 513 No. 3

Written Answers. - Food Safety Authority.

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Responsibility for the enforcement of food safety legislation is now a matter for the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. The authority entered into service contracts in July 1999 with all of the official agencies engaged in food control activities, including the eight health boards. These contracts provide for the implementation and enforcement of the relevant legislation by the official agencies, acting as agents of the authority.

In the case of the health boards, the activities covered by the service contracts include the inspection of catering, food retailing premises as well as those wholesaling, distribution and manufacturing premises coming under their control. It is not possible to separate the numbers assigned to inspecting each type of premises. I am advised by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland that the numbers of environmental health officers assigned to the service contract by each health board is as follows:

Health Boards	Number of EHOs employed (July 1999)	Number of EHOs assigned to the Service Contract with the FSAI (expressed as “whole time equivalents”)
Eastern	51.15	36.98
North Eastern	24	16.03
South Eastern	29	15.85
Southern	41	31.15
Western	31	17.47
North Western	28	20.55
Mid-Western	27	15.25
Midland	15	8.1
Total	246.15	161.38

The service contracts include provisions which enable the authority to assess performance and it will be reporting on the outcomes, as required by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland Act, 1998.

In light of the demand of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland service contracts, I have provided additional funding for food control in 2000 to the health boards. I am at present awaiting their proposals on expenditure in areas such as staffing, IT, equipment, training, etc. in the various areas of food control.