Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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414. To ask the Minister for Health the number of times the European Union’s rapid alert system for food and feed has received a notification from Ireland from 2010 to 2016 per annum, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6915/17]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
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415. To ask the Minister for Health the communications he has had with his UK counterpart with regard to the UK's continued participation in the European Union’s rapid alert system for food and feed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6916/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 414 and 415 together.

The legal basis of the EU’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) is Article 50 of Regulation (EC) No 178/2002, which establishes the RASFF as a network involving the Member States, European Commission (which manages the system) and European Food Safety Authority. Switzerland and the EEA countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway are also members of the RASFF. Whenever a member of the network has any information relating to the existence of a serious direct or indirect risk to human health deriving from food or feed, the information must be notified to the Commission. The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is the national contact point for the RASFF.

I have not had specific contact with my UK counterpart about the UK’s continued participation in the RASFF post Brexit. Work is ongoing to deepen analysis of the potential implications of Brexit. However, this is challenging as it is not yet known what new arrangements may emerge as regards the UK’s future relationship with the EU. It is also important to state that until the UK formally withdraws from the European Union, it remains a full member, with all of its existing rights and obligations.

The FSAI has advised that between 2010 and 2016, the number of original notifications to the system was more than 3,000 per year, of which Ireland contributed 31-57 per year (see annual data in following table). Many of the notifications from Ireland concern foods which did not originate in Ireland, while the number of notifications concerning foods which originated in Ireland is very small – less than 1%.