Bernard Hegarty

Dr Bernard Hegarty has twenty one years’ experience of managing food law enforcement in the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). He has been Director of Enforcement Policy at the authority since 2009 where he has been a member of the Senior Leadership Team, responsible for overall management of FSAI service contracts with State Agencies for enforcement of food law in Ireland.

Bernard had previously served as Contracts Manager with the FSAI from 2000 where, among other duties, he represented Ireland at European Commission and Council of Europe meetings on food legislation. This included serving for two years as Chair of the Council of Europe Expert Committee on Food Contact Materials. He also served as Co-Chair of the European Council Working Group that developed framework legislation on food contact materials during Ireland’s EU Presidency in 2004.

Prior to joining the FSAI, he had worked as a Test Manager and Senior Scientist at Water Research Centre (WRC) in the UK, as a Research Chemist at BP in the UK and as Research Associate at the University of New Mexico (USA). He was awarded his doctorate in Chemistry by UCD and holds an MA in Public Management.