Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 September 2020
169. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the degree to which continued emphasis is placed on animal health, husbandry and processing with a view to ensuring that the highest possible standards prevail and that Irish products retain pride of place on world markets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24416/20]
View answerThe National Farmed Animal Health Strategy 2017-2022 was launched in 2017. At the Strategy’s heart is the ambition to shift the focus from response to and management of animal disease, to the promotion of animal health as a driver of optimised production, improved margins for producers and providing the best quality food for consumers. The Strategy recommends some 70 strategic actions, which my Department is taking forward.
The Animal Health Surveillance strategy sits within the National Farmed Animal Health Strategy. The aim of the strategy is to ensure Ireland maintains its international reputation as having a high animal health status whilst improving national on-farm productivity. State resources and infrastructure are deployed to enable effective and optimum monitoring and control of existing diseases and to minimise the potential impact for exotic diseases.
Food products placed on the marketplace are covered by a range of legislation designed to ensure that products supplied to consumers are of the highest safety standards. My Department plays a part in the enforcement of this legislation along with other Government departments and State Agencies such as the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and the Health Service Executive. The FSAI is the body responsible for enforcement of regulations governing traceability, labelling and provision of food information to customers.
Primary responsibility under EU law for the safety and traceability of food placed on the market lies with food business operators. The role of National Competent Authorities is to verify compliance with this requirement. This is done via a combination of inspecting establishments and auditing the food safety management systems which operators have in place. These controls are applied at different stages in the food supply chain. Regulation (EC) No. 178 of 2002 sets out the general principles and requirements of EU food law and stipulates that food business operators must, at all stages of production, processing and distribution within their business, ensure food law requirements are satisfied. In regard to traceability, the regulations require that food business operators have what is referred to as the ‘one step forward, one step backward’ traceability system. There are additional requirements for certain fishery and aquaculture products under the Control Regulation (Regulation 1224/2009 and Implementing Regulation 404/2011) from first sale to subsequent stages of production, processing and distribution up to retail.
