Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I am always reluctant to speculate on speculation, and this is probably what was in the newspapers at the weekend. When we receive the report we will know absolutely from where the contamination came. There was no threat to human health, and this is the first and central point we need to make. I congratulate the Food Safety Authority on carrying out tests which I believe no other country does. As the Deputies know, the Minister is in Brussels. We hold the Presidency of the European Union and all Ministers had to be in Brussels this week, as did I. I assume he would have been here had he been available.

To reply to Deputy Ó Caoláin, taking time to fill a board is sometimes very necessary and this is acknowledged. If one does not have the required expertise on the list in front of one, it would be a greater mockery to put in someone who did not have the expertise. I believe when it comes to food safety most women are experts and one does not need an arm's length of qualifications. We must get this type of mix when it comes to food safety and food production. The Minister is probably one of the hardest working and busiest Ministers in the Government, and we all know the Department of Health is one of the busiest in government. I will convey the expressed opinions of the Deputies to him. We need to be sensible about certain issues, including getting a proper mix on the board and getting the board as quickly as possible.

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