Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 234: To ask the Minister for Health and Children further to Parliamentary Question No. 112 of 18 December 2008 and No. 253 of 17 February 2009, if she will furnish the corresponding figures for 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10592/10]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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Responsibility for the enforcement of food safety and food labelling legislation rests with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) and its official agents, which include the Health Service Executive, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (DAFF), Local Authorities (LAs) and the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA).

Due to the public service industrial action involving members of IMPACT within the Health Service Executive (HSE), the HSE is not in a position to provide data to this response and consequently some of the data (particularly in respect of the second half of 2009) is not available.

Prosecutions

Further to the reply forwarded to the Deputy in May 2009 by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, a successful prosecution was taken by the FSAI against a food business in Galway: the legislation cited for breaches included the Labelling of Fishery and Aquaculture Products Regulations 2003. An unsuccessful prosecution was taken by the FSAI in March 2009 against two companies, including a number of Directors, in relation to the supply/placing on the market of certain fishery products. The case was dismissed. From January 2009 to date, the HSE initiated 17 successful prosecutions under food legislation. One of these prosecutions cited the 2006 Country of Origin of Beef Regulations and one cited the Beef Labelling Regulations 2000 as amended. The Sea Fisheries Protection Authority concluded one conviction in 2009 for breaches of food legislation.

Inspections

The HSE recorded 5,705 inspections in the retail sector and 15,181 in the service sector including restaurants in the first half of 2009. From January to June 2009, compliance with beef country of origin regulations was assessed in 4,092 inspections and 1,108 non-compliances were recorded. For the same period, compliance with labelling of beef and beef products regulations was assessed in 3,584 inspections and 727 non compliances were recorded. Many of these non compliances would be for minor infringements and Environmental Health Officers follow up on all of these non compliances with the Food Business Operators to ensure compliance.

Labelling inspections

Labelling inspections are carried out as part of the food safety inspections of food businesses. During the course of these inspections a total of 8,715 hygiene and labelling infringements including general hygiene and labelling were identified by Environmental Health Officers in the first half of 2009. The HSE issued 326 enforcement notices and orders under the FSAI Act in 2009.

Local Authority Veterinary Inspectors carry out inspections in 456 establishments. There are some outstanding returns due to be forwarded to the FSAI but so far Local Authorities have reported 12 major non compliances for 2009. In 2009, 3,200 inspections were carried out by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority. Ten compliance notices, one prohibition order, one closure order and one improvement notice were issued.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food have reported inspection data for the first three quarters of 2009. The meat and meat products division carried out 7,810 inspections for this period. The milk products division carried out 350 hygiene inspection and the egg and poultry inspectors carried out 2,441 inspections in the same period.