Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I offer my condolences to the family of the late Minister of State, Shane Shane McEntee, and acknowledge the enormous courtesy, generosity and dedication he showed as a Minister of State and public representative.

Senator Feargal Quinn spoke about the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. I have serious concerns about the failure to fill vacancies on the board of the authority. I ask the Leader to arrange for the Minister for Health to explain to the House why the vacancies continue. We are all aware of the need for good scrutiny and standards in food production and food processing. The food chain has become ever longer and more complex because of the use of technology and, as shown by the recent burger difficulties, the need for scrutiny was never greater. However, the board to which the Food Safety Authority is answerable does not exist. This is not a fair or reasonable way for the authority to conduct its business. I am puzzled by the comments made by Mr. Goodman on testing. He was reported as stating: "We are talking about DNA testing and DNA will pick up molecules and something in the air," which suggests there is something wrong with the testing process. I applaud the work of the Food Safety Authority in this area, but a major problem has arisen at a time when it does not have a board. Perhaps the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine has a function in this regard, but I call for a discussion with the Minister for Health in the first instance.