813. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the scientific validation undertaken by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland in respect of the laboratory methods relied upon for the detection of salmonella typhimurium in duck flocks; whether those methods have been independently validated for use in ducks; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51400/26]

814. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health whether following recent court proceedings concerning salmonella testing in poultry, the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has reviewed the reliability of the sampling, testing and chain-of-custody procedures relied upon in enforcement actions involving duck flocks; if such a review has been completed, if she will publish the findings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51401/26]

815. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has commissioned, or intends to commission, an independent scientific review of the evidence underpinning its risk assessments relating to salmonella in duck flocks, including the laboratory methodologies employed and the epidemiological evidence relied upon; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51402/26]

816. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health the role that the Food Safety Authority of Ireland plays in advising the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine before compliance notices, prohibition notices, product seizures or flock destruction are undertaken in cases involving suspected salmonella infection; and whether the FSAI independently verifies the scientific evidence relied upon before such enforcement action proceeds. [51403/26]

817. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Health if the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has reviewed whether the ongoing Department-funded research into salmonella control in duck production has identified any uncertainties regarding existing sampling, laboratory testing or risk assessment methodologies; and whether any interim findings have resulted in changes to current enforcement or regulatory practice. [51404/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 813, 814, 815, 816 and 817 together.

The primary production of animals, including poultry/ducks comes under the remit of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has overall responsibility for the enforcement of food law in Ireland. It does this by way of service contracts with a variety of agencies involved in food control, including DAFM. Therefore, I have asked the FSAI to reply directly to the Deputy in relation to the aspects of the above five questions that are relevant to FSAI.