The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006
14. Scientific
Committee. -
1.
The
Food Authority shall constitute Scientific Committee which shall consist of the
Chairpersons of the Scientific Panels and six independent scientific experts
not belonging or affiliated to any of the Scientific Panels.
2.
The
Scientific Committee shall be responsible for providing the scientific opinions
to the Food Authority, and shall have the powers, where necessary, of
organising public hearings.
3.
The
Scientific Committee shall be responsible for the general co-ordination
necessary to ensure consistency of the scientific opinion procedure and in
particular with regard to the adoption of working procedures and harmonisation
of working methods of the Scientific Panels.
4.
The
Scientific Committee shall provide opinions on multi-sectoral issues falling
within the competence of more than one Scientific Panel, and on issues which do
not fall within the competence of any of the Scientific Panels.
5.
Wherever
necessary, and particularly in the case of subjects which do not fall within
the competence of any of the Scientific Panel, the Scientific Committee shall
set up working groups and in such cases, it shall draw on the expertise of
those working groups when establishing scientific opinions.