Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 December 2004
47 Dr. Upton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children her views on the statement from a leading food safety expert recently that food-borne hazards are a major threat to the country’s health, economy, social stability and security; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29315/04]
View answerI recognise the concern that food-borne hazards pose a threat to public health and to the economy of food producing countries such as Ireland. The basis of our public health control and prevention strategy is to have systems in place to prevent hazards developing into risks. A number measures have been taken in recent years to ensure that these potential food-borne hazards do not become a major risk to the health of consumers.
In 2000 the European Commission published its White Paper on Food Safety which proposed a new legal framework for the Community covering the whole of the food chain. This sought to establish a high level of consumer health protection and to clearly attribute primary responsibility for safe food production to industry, producers and suppliers. The White Paper set out a comprehensive legislative programme with more than 80 separate action points to achieve this new framework. This undertaking is now almost complete. Appropriate official controls at both national and European level have now been agreed which will provide for, among other things, product traceability through the whole food chain and will allow the Community to take rapid and effective safeguard measures in response to health emergencies.
Against a background of consumer concerns, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland was established in 1999. The authority is a statutory, independent and science-based agency with a mandate to protect consumers' health and consumers' interests by ensuring that food consumed, distributed, marketed or produced in the state meets the highest standards of safety and hygiene.
Considerable resources have been invested in recent years to ensure consumer protection and I am confident that, while we must not be complacent, our food safety controls meet the highest international standards.
