Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 October 2023
533. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Health his plans to ensure an appropriate inspection regime commences from the start of 2024, with regard to the contracts between the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and local authority veterinary inspectors, which are to terminate on 31 December 2023; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46225/23]
View answerAt present, under service contract with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), the 24 Local Authorities are responsible for food law enforcement including Local Authority Veterinary Services (LAVS) at some 500 food businesses, mainly micro-enterprises.
The future delivery of the Local Authority Veterinary Service (LAVS) is under discussion between the Department of Health (DoH), the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM), the FSAI, the County and City Management Association (CCMA), and the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA). A Steering Group and a Working Group, comprising of representation from the above organisations have been established by my Department to explore the potential transfer of the LAVS to DAFM. There will be engagement with the Local Authority veterinary inspectors as part of this process.
A final decision on the potential transfer of the LAVS to DAFM cannot be made until DAFM has had an opportunity to carry out a Due Diligence exercise, which includes an examination of existing data and a number of site visits. After this, a Cost Benefit Analysis must be carried out.
Therefore, in the meantime, FSAI, CCMA and LGMA will discuss a new service contract under the Food Safety Authority of Ireland Act 1998 with Local Authorities, to start from 1 January 2024 as the current service contracts expire at the end of 2023.
In June 2023, the FSAI proposed that a new, nationally managed three-year service contract be established with Local Authorities to deliver an improved system of official controls on food safety in the sector. This would replace the existing service contracts which have been extended without substantial change since they were agreed in 2016. The expectation is that the new service contracts would include provisions to deliver effective consumer protection, through a reformed service structure. A three-year term would allow the Local Authorities to plan and recruit staff with more certainty than is possible with short-term extensions. Given that a transfer of the service to DAFM is under consideration, the service contract would include a break clause if the proposed transfer can be agreed.
It is the intention of the relevant parties that the official controls will continue without disruption to the businesses and without any reduction in consumer protection.
