The Environmental Health Association of Ireland

The Environmental Health Association of Ireland

The Environmental Health Association of Ireland (EHAI) function is to promote Environmental Health and to educate, advise and heighten the awareness of Environmental Health issues among the public and the profession.

The EHAI is a non-government Association and is a professional body that represents those engaged in the environment and health protection fields.

Through its members the organisation is actively involved in promoting an awareness of current and emerging environmental health issues. It is also involved in providing submissions to government proposals and is represented on a number of policy and standards committees.

EHAI was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Federation of Environmental Health.

Food business must register with the competent authority before starting its operations, even if operating from domestic setting. Competent authorities include the local environmental health office (Health Service Executive), the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Local Authority or the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority.

Relevant Registration body will depend on the type of business and whether foods of animal origin, for example meat, poultry, fish etc., are handled or processed.

If the business is not already registered, the HSE and appropriate Registering body who will advise whether premises and operations comply with the food hygiene legislation. In particular, if the business operates from home, it has to be made sure that it is suitable for the activities it intends to carry out.