Wednesday, 26 May 2021
A new Food Safety Consultative Council (FSCC) for the period 2021/2026 has been appointed by the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD.
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today announced a new Food Safety Consultative Council (FSCC) for the period 2021/2026 has been appointed by the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly TD. Some 23 consumer, food industry, food inspectorate and academia representatives comprise the FSCC, which acts as a conduit to provide feedback to the FSAI on the views, opinions and recommendations on the food sector, so that these can be placed on the FSAI’s agenda for appropriate action, where necessary.
The FSCC acts as a forum for debate on food safety issues and provides advice to the FSAI Board. It meets quarterly to discuss food safety issues of relevance to the food industry and the general public and represents a broad range of interests drawn from all sectors of the food industry, consumers, the food inspectorate and academia.
Twelve new representatives joined existing members to make the 2021/2026 Food Safety Consultative Council. The term of the new appointees is from 29 March 2021 to 28 March 2026, and full list of members is as follows:
- Ray Bowe (Chair) – Musgrave Group
- Paula Barry Walsh, Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine *
- Patrick Farrell, Irish Farmers’ Association *
- Maree Gallagher, Food Law Solicitor
- Jonathan Griffith, Irish Health Trade Association *
- Cormac Healy, IBEC
- Dermot Jewell, Consumers' Association of Ireland
- Caroline Keeling, Keelings *
- Sorcha Kavanagh, Conscious Cup *
- Jamie Knox, Britvic Ireland
- Catherine Morrison, Bord Iascaigh Mhara *
- Janis Morrissey, Irish Heart Foundation *
- Conor Mulvihill, Dairy Industry Ireland *
- Siobhan Murphy, Health Service Executive
- James McCrudden, Country Markets
- Alice McGlynn, Bord Bia *
- Tim O'Brien, Restaurateur
- Eamonn Quinn, Kelsius
- Louise Reynolds, Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute *
- Martin Roper, Food Safety Consultant
- Marcella Rudden, Local Enterprise Office, Cavan *
- Regina Sexton, University College Cork *
- Annette Sweeney, Technological University Dublin
Throughout the course of the meetings, the FSCC examines segments of the food chain from farm to fork to review the food safety initiatives already in place and those required to ensure consumers’ health and interests continue to be to the forefront.
Commenting on the appointments to the FSCC, Dr Pamela Byrne, CEO, FSAI welcomed the new members.
“The FSAI strives to be a leader in the safety and integrity of food through partnership, collaboration, communication, and advocacy, as well as fostering and promoting a culture of food safety and compliance within Ireland’s food industry. Through this collaborative approach of working together with the Food Safety Consultative Council, this enriches the FSAI’s capacity and capability to advocate for safe and trustworthy food for everyone. We are very pleased to welcome the new members and we look forward to working with the newly formed Council,” she said.
Ray Bowe, Chair of the Food Safety Consultative Council, highlighted the importance of the collaborative approach of the FSCC and that the new representatives will bring fresh knowledge and expertise to the Council.
“We welcome the newly elected members to the Food Safety Consultative Council and look forward to beginning the new term. Each year we host an open meeting to give members of the public and the food industry the opportunity to discuss issues of importance or concern in relation to food safety, which can then be placed on the agenda for the FSAI for consideration and action, where appropriate. We encourage consumers, food industry and interested stakeholders to join our open meeting which will take place in the autumn this year,” added Mr Bowe.
For more information on the FSCC and for details on upcoming open meeting, please see: www.fsai.ie
-ENDS-
Note to Editor:
*Newly elected members to the FSCC.