618. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the role the Food Safety Authority of Ireland plays in advising his Department before compliance notices, prohibition notices, product seizures or flock destruction are undertaken in cases involving suspected salmonella infection; whether his Department ensures the FSAI independently verifies the scientific evidence relied upon before such enforcement action proceeds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53366/26]

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) is the central competent authority for food safety in Ireland. My Department operate under service contract to the FSAI in the provision of food safety official controls.

All detections of notifiable Salmonella species on poultry farms are notified to the FSAI in compliance with my Department’s service contract obligations. As the central competent authority, the FSAI act in an advisory and guidance capacity.

The EU regulations on Salmonella (Regulation (EC) No 2160/2003) are very clear regarding actions to be taken on farm when Salmonella species are detected; these specified actions depend on the flock type concerned e.g. broiler or broiler breeder so the decisions taken are legislatively based rather than specifically dependent on FSAI scientific evidence. My Department may also act pre-emptively to protect animal health; Section 42(1)(b) of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 (the 2013 Act) provides that an authorised officer may serve an Animal Health and Welfare notice where they are of the opinion that an animal, animal product or animal feed, land or premises is, or may be, affected with disease or a disease agent. Additionally, Regulation 16(1)(b) of the European Union (Food and Feed Hygiene) Regulations 2020 provides that an authorised officer may serve a notice where they are of the opinion that it is necessary for the protection of human health, animal health or welfare or the environment including the prevention, control or eradication of a disease or contamination of food or feed.

When Salmonella species are isolated following testing of poultry farm samples in a laboratory approved by my Department, the process is as follows: the isolates must then be sent to my Department’s National Reference Laboratory for Salmonella for isolate confirmation and serotyping. If Salmonella isolation results are confirmed in the National Reference Laboratory, my Department acts decisively to protect both animal health and public health in accordance with the EU Salmonella regulations and the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 referenced above.