Mr Feargal Quinn warned that the vitally needed independence of the proposed Food Safety Authority would, in some key respects, be fatally undermined by the approach being adopted by the Government.
"Independence is in the long-term interest of the national economy," he said. "Any attempt by the food industry to influence the authority or any attempt to influence the authority's actions from a political perspective would undermine its value to everyone in the equation."
He believed that in several areas the Bill to establish the authority compromised its independence.
It was totally incompatible with any perception of independence to have the scientific committee appointed by the Minister. The committee was crucial to the standing of the authority, as its work would underpin all pronouncements and policy initiatives which impinged on matters of public concern. "In my opinion this legislation should provide that the authority appoints the scientific committee, full stop."
