Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 July 2020
1225. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Health if he will intervene in a funding dispute between the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and his Department in view of the fact that the authority has indicated its funding from his Department is not sufficient to fund both it and the local authority veterinary service (details supplied). [15588/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is the competent authority with overall responsibility for the enforcement of food safety legislation in Ireland. Responsibility for enforcement of food legislation is managed through service contracts between the FSAI and a number of competent authorities, also known as ‘Official Agencies’. These official agencies include the Health Service Executive (HSE); Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM); Local Authorities (LAs); and Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority.
The LAs’ service contract is provided by the Local Authority Veterinary Service (LAVS). LAs, acting on behalf of the FSAI, are responsible for food law enforcement required under EU food law at over 500 food businesses (including small meat manufacturing plants, slaughterhouses, cold stores, etc.).
In addition to food safety controls, the LAVS also carries out functions for other Government Departments, including overseeing the enforcement of animal health and welfare legislation at slaughterhouses, on-farm emergency slaughter and the verification of competence to slaughter by plant operatives. LAs also have statutory responsibility in relation to dog and horse control, dog licensing and the regulation of dog breeding establishments.
The annual funding provided by the Department of Health to the FSAI is inclusive of funding for the LAVS service contract. While funded by the Department, the FSAI is independent in the exercise of its functions. There have been a number of meetings between officials in my Department and the Authority regarding the FSAI budget, including the LAVS service contract.
I understand that due to financial pressures across the FSAI budget, FSAI had indicated to the LAs in early 2020 that it would not be in a position to provide the same amount this year that it had provided for LAVS in 2019. In early May 2020, my Department advised the FSAI that it has increased its non-capital funding for 2020 by 7.5% (an additional €1.2m), bringing its total annual non-capital allocation to €17.172m.
In recent weeks, FSAI advised the LAs through the County and City Management Association (CCMA) that it is now able to allocate funding to the LAs (in 2020) closer to the amount it provided in 2019. Furthermore, the FSAI has advised my Department that a three-month extension (until 30th September 2020) has been agreed between the FSAI and the LAs/CCMA on the present LAVS service contracts, which will allow FSAI to review the service with the aim of finding a longer-term solution with an appropriately funded and sustainable operational/service model. My Department will also seek engagement with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG), the LAs’ parent Department.
The FSAI has advised my Department that it has, in recent years, provided the following funding to the LAs for the delivery of the Local Authority Veterinary Service:
- 2017: €6,030,266.62
- 2018: €6,229,317.08
- 2019: €6,199,697.21
