Tom Hayes, T.D. Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine with responsibility for food safety, recently addressed a conference of the Food and Drinks Industry Ireland on European legislation on Food Information to Consumers.
In his speech Minister of State Hayes spoke about the industry’s responsibilities in maintaining Ireland’s hard earned reputation as a food nation. He said “the cornerstone of Ireland’s international reputation as a clean, green food island is the sustainable production of quality food to the highest standards of traceability and safety”.
He continued that “safety of the food chain can never be taken for granted as food production techniques and technology continue to evolve, with new processes rapidly emerging and new products being brought to market”. He remarked that “in the recent past, major food safety incidents, both at home and abroad, have placed a sharper focus on food safety issues than was the case heretofore and highlight the importance of compliance and vigilance on the one hand and readiness to deal swiftly and effectively with new challenges and risks on the other”.
Referring to the new food labelling legislation the Minister remarked that these regulations are a response to consumer demand. While acknowledging that that changes in labelling requirements may be somewhat burdensome on the industry the Minister emphasised that compliance is in the interest of the agri-food industry in Ireland.
