The Food Safety Authority of Ireland Bill 1998, which came into force on the 1 January 1999, transfers all responsibility for national food safety to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). The FSAI fulfils this responsibility by means of Service Contracts between the Authority and the Official Agencies including the Heath Service Executive (HSE). The current Service Contract between the HSE and the FSAI came into force on 21 March 2021 and extends until 01 March 2026.
The contract states that the Official Agency (i.e. HSE) shall carry out in its functional area on behalf of and as an agent for the Authority, (inter alia), the determination of compliance with food legislation by means of –(inter alia) the inspection, sampling and analysis of food, including food ingredients and the inspection and analysis of food labelling.
The Dublin Public Analyst’s Laboratory provides this analytical service, in conjunction with the other HSE Food Safety Laboratories. It analyses foodstuff in the interest of public health and consumer protection. The production of safe food also has important economic implications for Ireland as a major food exporter
Last updated 23/09/2022
