Seán Power (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)

This is also a technical amendment to give a clear definition of the term "retail, restaurant and catering sectors" as used in section 25 of the Bill. This section replaces the current section 54 of the Health Act 1947. The new section allows for the making of regulations to extend the current EU labelling laws on meat to require country of origin information to be provided to all consumers at the point of choice. Such regulations will be enforced by the Food Safety Authority, which already enforces extensive EU food legislation in these sectors. We have been advised that to ensure uniformity the retail, restaurant and catering sectors should be defined as including food business operators referred to in EU Regulation 178/2002, which lays down the general principles and requirements of food law. In this way the term encompasses all food service outlets that are subject to that law.