Vol. 399 No. 7
38 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Health the permissible radiation dose rates in Ireland at present for irradiation of the following foods: (a) fresh fruit, (b) fish and, (c) poultry; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Existing food controls do not prescribe permitted radiation doses for foods and there are at present no commercial food irradiation facilities operating in this country.
The importation or sale of irradiated foods is not specifically forbidden under existing food legislation. Under the general provisions of existing legislation all imported foods must be fit for human consumption and all foods offered for sale must be of the nature, quality and substance demanded by the consumer and must be fit for human consumption.
As part of the measures being taken for the completion of the internal market the European Commission has formally made proposals for a directive permitting the irradiation of a limited number of foods at certain specified levels and these proposals are at present under consideration at Community level.
