Liz O'Donnell
Question:26 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Health the extent of his Department's regulatory powers under the proposed National Food Safety Body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20465/96]
Written Answers. - Food Safety Board.
Limerick East): The Food Safety Board of Ireland will have a full and wide range of legal powers to ensure compliance by all agencies engaged in food controls with their legal obligations. In effect, its function is to ensure, in the interests of public health and consumer protection, that the best and highest standards of food safety and hygiene are being observed throughout our food industry.
However, the value of the board does not depend solely on the extent of its legal powers. I believe that the separate and independent status it will have vis-á-vis other agencies will give it its strength and credibility. I believe it will very quickly be regarded as an objective, third party guarantor of the safety of our food, whose assessments and reports will be respected both at home and abroad.
The board will have power to determine binding hygiene and safety standards for any sector where none currently exists in national or EU law and its staff will have the right of access to all premises engaged in the food trade. It will have access to all records and documentation and will have powers to seize records as well as products considered unfit for human consumption. In addition, the board will have power to prosecute for failure to observe or enforce prescribed standards of food safety and hygiene. The board will also have authority to publish reports of all its audits and I think these reports will have a significant influence on the level of compliance with required standards by both agencies and operators. It is, of course, also true that our food industry will benefit from the reinforcement of consumer confidence which will result from this innovative structural and legal reorganisation of our food control systems.
I hope to introduce the necessary legislation early in 1997 but, recognising the importance of consumer protection in this vital area, the Government has agreed to the establishment of an interim board. The membership of the interim board has already been announced. It's function will be to establish the structures and formulate the work programme to be carried out. I am confident that all the agencies currently responsible for food controls will co-operate with the interim board, pending passage of the necessary legislation.