The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

15. Procedure for Scientific Committee and Scientific Panel. -

1.      The members of the Scientific Committee, who are not members of the Scientific Panel and the members of the Scientific Panel shall be appointed by the Food Authority, for a period of three-years, which shall be renewable, for such period, and the vacancy notice shall be published in the relevant leading scientific publications and on the Food Authority's website for a call for expressions of interest.

2.      The Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel shall each choose a Chairperson from amongst their members.

3.      The Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel shall act by a majority of their members and the views of the members shall be recorded.

4.      The procedure for the operation and co-operation of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel shall be specified by regulations.

5.      These procedures shall relate in particular to-

a.      the number of times that a member can serve consecutively on a Scientific Committee or Scientific Panel;

b.     the number of members in each Scientific Panel;

c.      the procedure for re-imbursing the expenses of members of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel;

d.     the manner in which tasks and requests for scientific opinions are assigned to the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel;

e.      the creation and organisation of the working groups of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel, and the possibility of external experts being included in those working groups;

f.      the possibility of observers being invited to meetings of the Scientific Committee and the Scientific Panel;

g.     the possibility of organising public hearings; and

h.      quorum of the meeting, meeting notice, agenda of the meeting and such other matters.

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