Michael D. Higgins
Ceist:80 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he is satisfied with the controls that are in place to monitor pesticide residues in food; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8852/03]
Written Answers - Food Safety Standards.
The pesticide residue monitoring programme in food is agreed on an annual basis between my Department and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland as part of the service contract between the Department of Agriculture and Food and the FSAI. The monitoring programme is then carried out by the pesticide control service. The programme aims to ensure that consumers are not exposed to unacceptable residues of pesticides in food. The programme is also used to ensure that plant protection products are applied to crops according to good agricultural practice, GAP.
The protection of the consumer from unacceptable levels of pesticide residues in food, is a high priority of my Department. In the past number of years additional resources have been assigned to this work. The number of samples analysed in 2002, at 968, was 51% greater than the number analysed in 2001. The monitoring programme agreed for 2003 requires that 1,300 samples be analysed for up to 89 different pesticides and metabolites. This is a further increase of 34% over the 2002 programme. The pesticide laboratory of my Department was the first laboratory in Ireland to be accredited for this work to the ISO 17025 standard.
My Department, in consultation with the FSAI, will continue to provide the highest possible level of protection to the consumer by controlling pesticide residues in food and is committed to further strengthening the monitoring programme.