Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 September 2021
1135. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Health the meetings held by his departmental officials from assistant principal level upwards with representatives of the food industry in relation to the issue of infant nutrition in Ireland from 2016 to date, including the issue of infant formula; the dates of, attendees at and matters that were discussed at each meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41840/21]
View answerDepartment officials were involved in one meeting with industry representatives in relation to infant nutrition / infant formula during the period specified in the Deputy’s question.
The meeting took place on 17 May 2016 with Food and Drink Industry Ireland (FDII)/IBEC - now Dairy Industries Ireland (Aoife Moran and Conor Mulvihill), the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (Mary Flynn and Barbara Cronin) and the Department of Health (Tommy Wilson and Brid O’Higgins).
The meeting was held at FDII’s request to discuss the European Commission’s report on Young Child Formula (YCF) and the lack of any accompanying proposal for their specific regulation in the European Commission’s revision of EU regulations on formulae products. FDII voiced its concerns that from July 2016, there would be no specific EU regulation governing YCF and that they would be considered a general food to be regulated under general food law.
