Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 December 2004
127 Mr. Ferris asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if, in view of the fact that the current chief executive officer of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland is a board member of the International Life Science Institute which is funded by companies with a direct interest in the promotion of genetically modified food, it represents a conflict of interest. [33332/04]
View answerThe International Life Sciences Institute, ILSI, is a global scientific organisation which supports research and publishes works on issues relating to food safety and nutrition. The institute's headquarters are in Washington, USA. It also has a European branch based in Brussels.
The current CEO of the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, FSAI, who took up this position on 28 June last, was formerly a board member of ILSI International and of ILSI Europe. He resigned from the board of ILSI International on his appointment to the FSAI and his final meeting as treasurer and board member of ILSI Europe was on 29 September 2004. The board of the FSAI was at all times aware of the position and, accordingly, I do not consider that any conflict of interest arises.
