Food Safety

The Food Safety Promotion Board is principally charged with tasks involving food safety awareness - through public campaigns, conferences, training and advising professionals and the general public. It is also involved in supporting North/South scientific co-operation, and links between institutions working in the field of food safety - laboratories, statutory food safety enforcement agencies, international and domestic research bodies. Its remit also includes the promotion of specialised laboratory services, North and South. Cross-border co-operation in all of these areas, between organisations working in these fields, is central to the work of the Body. The Board began operations by establishing a number of informal inter-disciplinary functional groups to assist in the elaboration of functions. The output from these groups was used to help develop an initial corporate strategy and annual plan.

The Body is operating from its offices in, Cork and Dublin. The Body's Chief Executive is, Mr Martin Higgins and it has an Advisory Board consisting of 12 members, appointed by the NSMC. Its Chair is Mr Bertie Kerr and Vice-Chair is Professor Charlie Daly. The NSMC has also appointed an Advisory Committee, which includes scientific experts and representatives of broader food safety interests.

The Exchange of Notes between the British and Irish Governments on 19 November 2002 (Cmnd 5708), provides for decisions and actions relating to the Implementation Bodies and Tourism Ireland Limited or their respective functions to be taken by the two Governments. The following decisions have been taken under The Exchange of Notes.