West Cork man returns to vet role at FSAI

THE Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) has appointed West Cork man Dr Micheál O’Mahony as chief specialist, veterinary public health – a role he has returned to after working with the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) in the interim.

Castletown Kinneigh native Micheál will return to leading and managing the FSAI veterinary public health and agriculture team, providing policy advice and support to all food safety personnel on the protection of consumer health from potential illness related to the consumption of foods of animal origin. He will also support effective and consistent enforcement and working with the food industry to build compliance with food law.

Prior to taking up his new role, Micheál garnered both research and regulatory experience as a researcher and lecturer in veterinary public health and food safety with University College Dublin (UCD) and as authority member and chief scientific advisor with the SFPA.

While with the SFPA, Micheál’s role as chief scientific advisor involved implementing changes for SFPA official controls arising from Brexit.

Micheál had previously served as chief specialist in veterinary public health with the FSAI and now returns to the position.

He holds both bachelors and master’s degrees in veterinary medicine from UCD and is a diplomate member of the European College of Veterinary Public Health, and a registered specialist in veterinary public health with both the European Board of Veterinary Specialisation and the Veterinary Council of Ireland.