Ireland has designated National Reference Laboratories and Official Laboratories for official controls under Regulation (EU) 2017/625 (food, feed, animal health and welfare, plant health and plant protection products).
FSAI as the central competent authority responsible for the enforcement of food legislation has service contracts with all of the relevant Competent Authorities/Official Agencies responsible for the provision of National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) and Official Laboratory services.
National Reference Laboratories (NRLs)
Article 100 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 requires that EU Member States designate one or more national reference laboratories for each European Union reference laboratory designated in accordance with Article 93(1) of the Regulation.
Member States may also designate a national reference laboratory in cases where there is no corresponding European Union reference laboratory.
In Ireland, the Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine have designated the following NRLs for official controls of feed, food, animal health and welfare:
Official Laboratories
Article 37 of Regulation (EU) 2017/625 requires that the competent authorities designate official laboratories to carry out the laboratory analyses, tests and diagnosis of samples taken during official controls and other official activities.
In Ireland, the Department of Health, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland have designated the following official laboratories for the official controls of feed, food, animal health and welfare:
View the list of official laboratories
Visit our section on official controls and other official activities for more information