Vol. 509 No. 2
101 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on the formation of an EU food safety agency; the status the authority will have in relation to food safety matters in Ireland; and the relationship this body will have with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. [20152/99]
On October 5 last, European Commission President Romano Prodi announced his intention to issue a White Paper on food safety. The aim of the White Paper is to conduct a review of EU food law and to put forward proposals before the end of the year 2000 with a view to having new legislation in place by the end of 2002. It is proposed that the White Paper will also include options for a possible European food safety agency although Mr. Prodi acknowledged that at present he had no firm views on the issue. It is anticipated that this White Paper will be published in mid-December 1999.
I am awaiting with interest the publication of the White Paper which should form the basis for an extensive debate on food safety including the advantages and disadvantages of a European food safety agency. It would be premature of me to give a view on the formation of such an agency in advance of the publication of the White Paper nor am I in a position to comment on the status and relationship such an agency, if it were to be established, would have with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, FSAI.
