Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 56 together.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland is responsible for enforcing food law, including the Health (Country of Origin of Beef) Regulations 2006, SI 307 of 2006, which were amended in February 2007. These regulations are enforced by environmental health officers of the Health Service Executive on foot of a service contract with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. Approximately 400 environmental health officers work on the enforcement of food legislation.

Checks on compliance with food labelling, including the Health (Country of Origin of Beef) Regulations 2006, are undertaken in conjunction with routine hygiene inspections. Accordingly, it is not anticipated that additional costs will be incurred. I am advised that the number of inspectors and level of inspection to implement these regulations is sufficient.

Guidelines for the implementation of the regulations have been issued to the HSE and an explanatory leaflet has been circulated by the HSE to food business operators. The Deputy may wish to note that these regulations do not relate to food safety but rather to consumer information.

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