Vol. 495 No. 7
419 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will make a favourable decision in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Sligo in view of the fact that he has purchased stock to upgrade his premises to meet the regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21323/98]
The Food Hygiene Regulations, 1950-1989 set out statutory requirements in relation to food hygiene and food premises and are designed to provide a code of hygienic standards to be observed by all those operating a food business. They are enforced on my behalf by the environmental health service of each health board.
Under Part IV of the regulations a health board is obliged to keep a register of all food premises.
Article 42(1)(c) states that the local health authority shall:
if one or more of the appropriate provisions are not complied with in respect of the premises or there are not suitable facilities for compliance with the appropriate provisions in respect of the food business carried on thereat and they do not consider it expedient to permit the food business to be carried out in the premises, refuse to register the premises and issue to the applicant for registration a notice informing him of such refusal and of the grounds therefor.
Article 46(1) of these Regulations states:
A person who is aggrieved by a decision of a health authority in relation to the refusal of such authority to register a food premises or to make provisional registration of a food premises unprovisional or in relation to the cancellation of the registration of a food premises under Article 44 may appeal in writing to the Minister against such decision within one month or such longer period as the Minister may, in any particular case, allow, of the date on which notice of such decision is issued.
If the person referred to in the Deputy's question wishes to lodge an appeal under Article 46(1) above, I will be happy to have his case independently assessed by an official of my Department.
