asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to tragedies in other countries caused by food having become contaminated with poisons such as insecticides; if he has authority to make regulations for the control of storage and transport of foodstuffs so that they will not be in danger of contamination; and, if so, if he will see that the regulations are enforced.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Contamination of Foodstuffs.
55.
I take it that the Deputy is referring to incidents such as the one which occurred recently in Colombia. In that case, flour became contaminated in course of transit to a bakery by the smashing of a container of an insecticide called parathion. As a result, a number of unfortunate people died after eating bread made from the contaminated flour.
The Food Hygiene Regulations, 1950, are designed to prevent the importation of contaminated food, the sale of contaminated food, the contamination of food in food premises or in vehicles used in connection with the food business.
The storage and transport of certain poisonous substances is controlled by Regulations made under the Poisons and Pharmacy Act, 1908. These Regulations are somewhat out of date now and Regulations are at present being prepared, on the basis of recommendations submitted to me by the Poisons Council established under the Poisons Act, 1961, which will provide a comprehensive code of control, including storage and transport, of all substances which may be classified as poisons.