safefood, The Food Safety Promotion Board
Freedom of Information Publication Scheme
This publication scheme will be made available, on request, in alternative formats as appropriate.
Table of Contents
Background to the Code of Practice for Freedom of Information
What is a Publication Scheme ?
Introduction to safefood, the Food Safety Promotion Board
Background
Organisational Structure
How to use the Scheme
Charges
Equality Screening
Responsibility
Comments or Complaints about the Publications Scheme
What we publish – the types of information
Background to the Code of Practice for Freedom of Information
The British-Irish Agreement provided that a Code of Practice on Freedom of Information be drawn up by the Irish and Northern Ireland Ministers with responsibility for freedom of information for the North/South Bodies for approval by the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC).This Code has now been prepared and can be accessed at The Code is non-statutory and has been drafted with regard to the Freedom of Information Acts, 1997 and 2003 in Ireland and the Freedom of Information Act, 2000 in the United Kingdom.
The Code facilitates public access to information held by the six North South Implementation Bodies and Tourism Ireland Ltd in a number of ways subject to categories of exempt information as set out in Parts One and Two of the Annex of the Code. It provides that each body should publish certain types of information relating to its functions, structures, organisation and services, together with a general description of the type of information held by that body. It sets out the process under which a member of the public can request information held by a body, the steps that a body must take in handling such a request and the time period within which a body should normally respond to a request.
What is a Publication Scheme?
We have produced a Publication Scheme which lists documents produced in the course of our work and explains how to obtain these documents.
The Scheme will set out the following:
- How to use the scheme
- Responsibility for FOI
- Comments about the Publication Scheme
- The types of information we hold
- The way in which you can access the information
- Charges
- The way in which we intend to publish the information.
Introduction to safefood, the Food Safety Promotion Board
Background
safefood, The Food Safety Promotion Board was established on 2nd December 1999, as one of the six North/South Implementation Bodies, under the terms of the Belfast Agreement, which was given domestic effect, North and South, by means of the North/South Cooperation (Implementation Bodies) (Northern Ireland) Order, 1999, and the British-Irish Agreement Act, 1999, respectively. safefood has a clear operational remit and implements on an all-island and cross-border basis, policies agreed in the North-South Ministerial Council (NSMC).
The role of safefood is determined by the above governing legislation, which sets out our functions. The key function is to promote food safety as a responsibility shared by the entire food chain through the:
- Promotion, commissioning and funding of research
- Communication of food alerts
- Advancement of food borne disease surveillance
- Promotion of scientific co-operation and laboratory linkages
- Development of an all-island strategy for specialised laboratory services
- Provision of independent science-based assessment of the food supply.
- Promotion of awareness and knowledge of food safety
Organisational Structure
Our operating organisational structure is:
- Advisory Board. safefood is assisted in the discharge of its duties by an Advisory Board (12 members) including a Chairperson and Vice Chairperson appointed by the North South Ministerial Council (NSMC). The function of the Board is determined by the above legislation.
- Scientific Advisory Committeewhich is appointed by the NSMC and advises safefood on scientific matters. The function of the Committee (18 members) is determined by the above legislation.
- Chief Executiveis appointed by the NSMC and is responsible for the management and control of the administration and business of the body.
- Marketing and Communications function within safefood promotes the corporate messages of the organisation to a number of key audiences using the most effective channels. The key messages around food safety, food hygiene and nutrition are communicated using a combination of public relations, media relations, advertising, promotional activity, events, direct marketing, publications, sponsorship, website and the safefood helpline.
- Corporate Operations is responsible for ensuring that safefood complies with all legal requirements and responsibilities from finance, HR and Information Systems and promoting best practice in all areas of corporate policy making and governance. Corporate Operations has overall responsibility for the research function and the development of the laboratory linkages programme.
- Food Scienceundertakes all aspects of food safety as related to microbiology, chemistry and toxicology including scientific assessments, identifying and commissioning research and surveys and surveillance of foodborne diseases. Specialist scientific advice and support is also provided to external stakeholders.
- Human Health and Nutrition remit is in the nutritional safety of food and the prevention of infectious foodborne diseases by safefood’s communication and research programmes.
As an all-island body, we produce a wide range of information and the purpose of this scheme is to assist you in discovering the information we publish, or intend to publish, where you can obtain copies of it and if there are any charges involved.
How to use the Scheme
The scheme refers to types of information that safefood publishes for use internally and externally. It is intended to provide guidance on finding information according to type and covers a wide range from electronic documents to leaflets. Insofar as is practicable, much of this material will be placed on our website
The information detailed in our scheme may be available in other languages/formats on request.
Members of the public who wish to make requests for information should do in writing directly to:
Patricia McCarthy
HR and Administration Executive
safefood
7 Eastgate Avenue
Little Island
Co Cork
When requesting information, please clearly state:
- that you are requesting the information under Freedom of Information.
- your name and address and the information you would like to access. Please make your information request as specific as possible in order to assist us in locating the relevant information.
- the way in which you would like the information sent to youe.g. e-mail, hard copy.
Charges
A fee structure will be determined by the NSMC. At present, fees will not be charged unless such a request causes an excessive amount of work. safefood will then reserve the right to refuse the request. The fee structure will be reviewed periodically.
Equality Screening
safefood has considered its statutory duties under Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act. We have, therefore, screened this publication under the criteria as set out by the Equality Commission and have found no evidence of significant implications on the equality of opportunity within the terms of Section 75 of the act. There is no need thus to carry out an equality impact assessment on the publication scheme.
Responsibility
The Director of Corporate Operations has been nominated by the Chief Executive as the overall person responsible for the publication scheme and the contact details are as follows:
Ray Dolan
Director Corporate Operations
safefood
7 Eastgate Avenue
Little Island
Co Cork
The day to day responsibility of maintaining the publications scheme and initially dealing with all FOI requests is:
Patricia McCarthy
HR and Administration Executive
7 Eastgate Avenue
Little Island
Co Cork
Email:
Tel :00 353 (0) 21 2304100
Fax :00 353 (0) 21 2304111
Comments or Complaints about the Publications Scheme
We would like to hear your comments about our Publications Scheme or if you wish to make a complaint about the publication scheme or lack of access to information held by safefood, we would also be pleased to hear from you either in writing or by e-mailing:
Patricia McCarthy
HR and Administrative Executive
safefood
7 Eastgate Avenue
Little Island
Co Cork
Your complaint will be investigated with the senior member of the business area referred to and a reply will be issued in 15 working days.
If you are not satisfied with this reply, you can write to the Director of Corporate Operations who has overall responsibility for safefood’s Publication Scheme.
In all cases your complaint will be acknowledged within 3 days, investigated thoroughly and treated confidentially.
What we publish – the types of information
We have organised our publications into types of information. These publications are detailed in our Publications List and have been reviewed with the senior management of safefood with specific regards to public interest. The types of information are:
- Type One – Corporate Publications
This includes roles and responsibilities, organisational details and structures, key personnel business plans, annual reports, board and scientific meetings and agendas, financial funding and accounts.
- Type Two – Public Involvement and Consultation
Details of consultation procedures, decision making processes, timescales and responses.
- Type Three – Communications with the Public
All information relating to the information services that has beenpublished by safefood for consumer use.
- Type Four – Press and Media Releases
All press and media statements issued by safefood.
- Type Five - Internal policies and procedures
All general internal procedural, administrative and HR manuals available to staff.
- Type Six - Published research and results
Scientific Documents including safefood funded research.
We have grouped the publications into four headings – Corporate Publications, Education, Science and Technical and Events for ease of locating. We will state how you can obtain the information outlined within heading. This will be either by e-mail, download from the web or by hard copy. Our commitment to publish information excludes any information that can legitimately be withheld under the exemptions in Part One and Part Two of the Code.
safefoodPage 110 February 2006