Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2009
469 Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the full scale of laboratory facilities required for or associated with requirements for the food sector are available and fully operational; the extent to which the full scale of such requirements will be met here; the number of such requirements currently met or anticipated by overseas referrals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26402/09]
View answerThe Irish Multi Annual National Control Plan, which is drawn up by my Department in conjunction with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, details the official control of foodstuffs required under the EU Regulation 882/2004. At present, my Department utilises the facilities of its own laboratories together with the facilities of the Irish State Laboratory, Teagasc, public analyst laboratories and national and international private laboratories for this purpose. The EU requirement for national reference laboratories has impacted on the laboratory resources available for this work as some of my Department's laboratories are required to act as national reference laboratories for private laboratories that test samples on behalf of food business operators. It is intended to further develop the capacity in my Department's laboratories to service a higher percentage of the work related to this programme.
