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Designation of the Advisory Committee Members
Appointment of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson
Meetings
The Secretariat
Agenda and proceedings at the meetings
Minutes of Advisory Committee Meetings

Designation of the Advisory Committee Members

1. At the end of the two year term of the committee safefood will review the list of competencies among committee members and identify priority areas to be included in the subsequent committee. 
2. The Advisory committee members are identified through an open selection process.
3. The members of the Advisory Committee are designated by the North-South Ministerial Council on the basis of the recommendation from the health departments, following the selection process. They shall be appointed on a personal basis. The members shall undertake to act independently and outside any influence in the work of the advisory committee. For this purpose, members will be obliged to make a declaration of interests at the beginning of each meeting.
4. Members are designated in the first instance for a period of 2 years. Renewal of the designation can be made for a subsequent period of one or two years.
5. The number of members in the Advisory Committee shall not exceed 12. The committee shall collectively cover the widest possible range of disciplines.
6. If an Advisory Committee member does not attend three consecutive meetings, the Chairperson is entitled to advise the Chief Executive to propose to the NSMC to withdraw this member’s designation.
7. The designation of and retention of membership is conditional to the declaration of interest.

Appointment of the Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson

1. The NSMC will appoint a Chairperson and a Vice-Chairpersons from amongst members for a term of two years, with a possibility of one renewal for a maximum of four years.
2. The Vice-Chairperson will carry out the duties of Chairperson in case of absence of the Chairperson. 
3. If the Chairperson resigns, a new Chairperson will be appointed.

Meetings

1. The Advisory Committee shall meet two times per year and shall be convened by safefood. 
2. Members may form smaller subgroups from time-to-time to address specific issues. In these cases it may be necessary to meet more frequently.
3. For each meeting safefood shall notify each member of the date of a meeting not less than fifteen days beforehand. A draft agenda should be sent simultaneously comprising the items to be examined and any preparatory documents.
4. Meetings of the Advisory Committee shall normally be held at safefood’s Dublin or Cork offices.
5. Members of safefood’s Executive Board are invited to attend the meetings.

The Secretariat

1. safefood’s staff, appointed by the Chief Executive, shall prepare and organise the work of the Advisory Committee and shall provide the secretariat for meetings under the directions of the Advisory Committee’s Chairperson.
2. Correspondence intended for the Advisory Committee shall be addressed to the secretariat.
3. The secretariat is responsible for archiving Advisory Committee papers.

Agenda and proceedings at the meetings

1. At the beginning of a meeting, the Advisory Committee shall adopt the agenda, comprising the items included in the draft and any other item proposed by the Chairperson or by one or more of the members.
2. Any request by one or more members of the Advisory Committee for the inclusion of an item on the agenda or the deletion or substitution of an item shall state the reasons on which it is based and this shall be sent in writing to the secretariat at least five working days before the date of the meeting. The Chairperson shall immediately bring any such request to the notice of the other members.
3. During a meeting, any member may propose the inclusion of an item on the agenda for the subsequent meeting.
4. The presence of at least half of the number of Advisory Committee members shall constitute a quorum. In the absence of a quorum, the Chairperson shall close the meeting and convene another as soon as possible.
5. The Chairperson shall direct the proceedings, giving precedence to those who wish to raise a point of order or an arising matter.
6. The Advisory Committee may decide, on an ad hoc basis, to invite guests to attend meetings of the committee, when it is considered essential for safefood’s activities.
7. safefood may request the presence at its meetings of staff qualified in matters under consideration.

Minutes of Advisory Committee Meetings

1. Minutes will be taken of each meeting and will include:

• A list of participants
• A record of proceedings
• Any conflict of interest declared by the members regarding the items on the agenda.

2. The draft minutes shall be submitted for adoption.
3. The minutes shall be signed by the Chairperson to signify adoption.
4. The minutes of the Advisory Committee shall be made accessible to the public via the safefood website.

Note: This committee was until December 2009 known as the Scientific Advisory Committee. Minutes are available here.