Vol. 481 No. 1
22 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the functions previously held by the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry prior to 26 June 1997 which will no longer be retained therein upon the establishment of the new Departments of Marine and Natural Resources, Health and Children, Environment and Local Government and Tourism, Sport and Recreation; and the justification for these changes. [14639/97]
The Government, by order dated 12 July, transferred to the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources the functions in relation to forestry which until then had been exercised by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry. No functions have been transferred to either the Minister for the Environment or the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation.
These decisions were made by the Government in order to ensure that Ministers have coherent packages of functions and powers which are best adapted to advancing the development of the relevant sectors of national economic and social activity.
Certain functions in relation to food safety are to be transferred to a food safety authority to be established under the aegis of the Minister for Health and Children. The functions concerned have not yet been precisely delimited.
I wish to deal with the proposed food safety authority in the context——
Does the Deputy have a question on the food safety authority?
It relates to the responsibilities of the various Departments. Is it envisaged that the independent food safety authority will take over most of the functions of the Department of Agriculture and Food or as it will come within the remit of the Department of Health and Children will social welfare officers carry out the functions carried out at present by agriculture officers? What will be the size of the unit and is it proposed to transfer 1,500 civil servants to it? I understood that the authority was to have monitoring functions similar to the Environmental Protection Agency. Are we talking about a much bigger animal and, if so, will the Department be reduced to being policy driven only?
Deputy Connaughton asked me to clarify matters. A definitive decision has not been taken other than to establish such an agency. The detail of it has not been decided yet. There is a food safety authority in existence and it is a monitoring authority. Dr. Hill was appointed chief executive to that body fairly recently. It is now envisaged that body will be given additional powers under the aegis of the Minister for Health and Children and staff currently employed by the Department of Agriculture and Food, the health boards and the local authorities will continue in their positions. They will be asked by the new body to carry out their duties by way of contract. This will be a big body because a large number of people are employed in inspectorates. They include environmental health officers, veterinary officers employed by county councils and the Department of Agriculture and Food and AOs also employed by that Department. There are a large number of people employed by a range of agences, but they will remain in their Departments or agencies and carry out duties under contract.
Similar to the FEOGA agency, any changes will be brought about in consultation with the staff associations and unions concerned. The reason for the establishment of this authority is to give greater assurance to consumers that the food available is safe to eat, contains no harmful residues and to guarantee the safety and quality of Irish food for our export markets. Strengthening the present body will add greatly to confidence in Irish food and will maintain it having regard to food scares that occur from time to time
Can I take it the staff to be employed by the new food safety authority will be more or less the staff already there but they will take their orders from a different commander?
The existing staff will continue to work in the same Departments or agencies, but they will be contracted by the new body to work on food safety and quality. The detail of how that works out must be decided in consultation with the staff associations because of the sensitivity involved.
Deputy Yates's question raises the issue of the justification for these changes. It is curious that responsibility for forestry, which is a land based activity largely though not entirely carried out by farmers, should be moved from the Department of Agriculture and Food with which it is a natural match to the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources which deals with water based resources and activities. I do not want to embarrass the Minister, but does he believe the furtherance of Irish forestry will be better served outside his Department? This is a curious mismatch.
I am sure the Deputy does not believe I would give a negative reply to that question. Responsibility for forestry has been transferred to the Department of the Marine and Natural Resources. Forestry is a natural resource industry. It is a fine industry with tremendous potential and major development in plantation and processing has taken place in recent years. We have some of the best processing facilities in the world. The added value will be significant for the future. It does not give me any great pleasure to see responsibility for forestry being passed from one Department to another down through the years. Responsibility for it has rested with the Departments of Energy, Fisheries and others and I would like it to have a permanent home at this point.
Is the Minister satisfied with the setting up of the new food advisory group? He is talking of staffing in the same places but simply under different bosses. As producers, consumers and exporters we want to be certain that the quality of our food is beyond question. It does not make sense to talk of an independent body whose staff will work within the existing framework. I understand the difficulties which arise when inspectors and other personnel perform different tasks at different times but that should have been considered before the announcement. The Minister is fulfilling an election promise but in reality there will be no change.
We have a major natural resource industry with exports of almost £5 billion pounds per annum. It is important that customers and consumers at home and abroad have total confidence in our products. My predecessor established a food safety authority. I am strengthening that authority to ensure that when questions arise about the quality of food and the efficacy of food processing there will be total and absolute confidence in the certification agency concerned with these matters.
This new authority is a science-based body. Food scares arise from time to time. The largest such scare in recent times concerned BSE which led to a substantial fall in the consumption of red meat. From time to time similar concerns arise in relation to other food products and there is a need for a science-based body offering a comprehensive, coherent and rapid monitoring system to ensure confidence. It was generally agreed that the Department of Health should have the primary role in this matter. The then Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry was seen as supporting developments at farm and processing levels. The new, science-based body is a radical development and it will be very helpful in relation to our exports and domestic consumption.
