Members Present
- Martin Cormican (Chair) (MC)
- Alan Kelly (AK)
- Andrew Flanagan (AF)
- Anne Molloy (AM)
- Dagmar Stengel (DS)
- Dolores O’Riordan (DOR)
- Geraldine Duffy (GD)
- Ita Kinahan (IK)
- Kevin Cashman (KC)
- Lois O’Connor (LOC)
- Mark Fenelon (MF)
- Montserrat Gutierrez (MG)
FSAI Staff Present
- Wayne Anderson (WA)
- Rob Phillips (RP)
- Mary Flynn (MFl)
- Karl McDonald (KMcD)
- Ophelie Davies (OD)
- Judith Giles (JG)
Apologies
- Séamus Fanning (SF)
- Ann Marie Part (AMP)
- Pat O’Mahony (POM)
- Lisa O’Connor (LiOC)
- Jill Murphy (JM)
1. Disclosures of Interest
The Chair welcomed the members. There were no disclosures of interest.
2. Agree the Meeting Minutes of 10 February and Matters Arising
The draft minutes were agreed and the actions were completed.
3. Update from Food Hygiene Rating Systems Subcommittee
Draft Report: Evaluation of food hygiene rating systems and recommendations for Ireland
DOR noted that the draft report was circulated to the FHRS Subcommittee members as well as the Scientific Committee last week for review. She thanked everyone for their comments and suggestions. RP/OD addressed most of the comments in advance of the meeting so that the changes were incorporated in the draft reviewed at the meeting. A number of points were highlighted for specific review at the meeting. The following was noted:
- Work is ongoing on formatting the references for the report – this is essentially an editorial issue.
- The Executive Summary now includes the answers to the questions in the request for advice. These were reviewed in detail, some changes made and final text agreed.
- All highlighted comments and some proposed new text in the report were reviewed, modified as appropriate and agreed.
- The abbreviations will be tidied up in the report and some terms checked for consistency.
- Competent authority, food aggregator and dark kitchens will be included in the Glossary.
- The Conclusions section will be crosschecked against the Executive Summary to ensure that there is consistency between both sections.
- The role of FSAI in providing advice to the Department of Health was clarified in the report.
The Chair noted that the committee agreed the report in principle subject to the final edits being made. The final version will be circulated electronically with time to be given for review and reflection, after which it can be considered adopted. The aim is to circulate the final report on 19 February with the standstill period up to 5pm on 25 February, allowing the Chair to approve on 25 February if no significant concerns emerge during the standstill period.
Actions:
- RP/OD to circulate the report on Thursday.
4. Work Plan
The updated work plan was circulated for information prior to the meeting.
5. Correspondence/AOB
There was no correspondence received or further business discussed.
6. Date of Next Meeting
This meeting concludes the term of the current Scientific Committee. The Chair thanked everyone for their support and understanding in the last six months. He thanked in particular those who led on getting the last five reports completed within the term of the committee.
WA thanked the members and colleagues on behalf of the FSAI. Without this voluntary work from all the members, the FSAI could not do its job. He thanked Martin Cormican who was involved in the first Scientific Committee in 2000 for 26 years of service to the FSAI.
AF thanked Christina Tlustlos and Emer O’Reilly who were part of the Chemical Safety Team and he also remembered Ray Ellard who passed away during the year.