State Laboratory Annual Report

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Annual Report 2015

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Custom House Government Buildings

Abbotstown

Backweston

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CONTENTS

Contents INTRODUCTION BY THE STATE CHEMIST 4

OVERVIEW 6

PROGRESS IN RELATION TO GOALS

Strategic Goal 1 – Support National Food and Feed Safety Programmes 7

Strategic Goal 2 – Support Revenue Collection and Fraud Prevention 11

Strategic Goal 3 – Provide a Forensic Toxicology Service to the State 13

Strategic Goal 4 – Support Public Health and Environment Protection Initiatives 15

Strategic Goal 5 – Provide a Centralised Veterinary Toxicology Service 17

STUDENT PLACEMENT PROGRAMME 18

ADMINISTRATION 19

GOVERNANCE 20

APPENDICES

I Statement by the Accounting Officer on Internal Financial Control 21

II Meetings and Conferences attended by State Laboratory Staff 22

III Conference and Seminar Presentations by State Laboratory Staff 23

IV List of INAB Accredited Tests 24

V Energy Use Statement 26

VI Organisation Chart (as at 31st December 2015) 27

VII Staff List by Grade (as at 31st December 2015) 28

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I am delighted to present this Annual Report which marks the tenth

anniversary of the State Laboratory moving from its previous premises

in Abbotstown to its current location on the Backweston Campus in

Co. Kildare. In May, the Laboratory marked the anniversary with a

Client Seminar at which personnel from the Department of Agriculture,

Revenue and the State Pathologist gave very interesting and stimulating

presentations to staff on what the work of the State Laboratory means

to them. The Seminar was very well attended and staff gained an

excellent insight into the many different purposes that their results of

analysis are use for.

In November, the National Sports Campus Development Authority

kindly hosted a presentation and tour of the current Abbotstown facility

for staff (including retirees) who previously worked there. It was a very

enjoyable event and staff were interested to see the many changes that

have taken place there in recent years. The former State Laboratory

building is now the FAI headquarters and there are no traces left of the

laboratory infrastructure.

On looking back over the ten years, it is notable how much

change has taken place in the analytical work of the State Laboratory.

Significant blocks of work have been discontinued and the level of testing

in other areas has increased dramatically. In that time, the Laboratory

consolidated its testing, focusing on chemical analysis, and it no longer

carries out any testing for genetically modified organisms or for plant

diseases. Likewise, the testing of biological samples for heavy metals /

trace elements for clinical and occupational health purposes has been

discontinued as was the monitoring of petrol and diesel samples for

environmental purposes. At a time of reduced resources, the low levels

of testing in these areas did not allow the laboratory to operate in an

efficient and cost effective manner and there were alternative service

providers available. Therefore, the decision was taken to concentrate on

carrying out complex chemical analyses where there where no service

providers available in Ireland.

The new areas of work include the testing of feed and food samples

for dioxins and the testing for toxicants in suspect bird and animal

poisoning cases. In other areas the level and complexity of testing has

increased dramatically especially in the Human and Veterinary

Toxicology sections.

Over the ten years, there was a 138% increase in the number of

post mortem samples submitted for the Coroners and a 131% increase

in the number of food of animal origin samples tested in-house for

veterinary residues. Although the number of animal feed samples

declined, the number of analyses performed on these samples increased

substantially and there is now a greater focus on testing for undesirable

substances such as heavy metals, banned antibiotics, mycotoxins and

dioxins compared to 2005 when the focus was more on nutrient

analysis. In all these areas, new multi-analyte test methods have been

introduced to replace single analyte methods. This has dramatically

improved the efficiency of the Laboratory as demonstrated by the fact

that there has been an almost 3-fold increase in the number of analytes

tested for in the past ten years while overall sample numbers have

remained relatively constant.

In the Customs and Excise area, there have also been major changes

in the numbers and types of samples submitted. The testing of large

numbers of meat and dairy product samples for export refund control

purposes and testing of frozen beef imports has all but disappeared and a

much more diverse range of Customs samples is now submitted,

INTRODUCTION by the State Chemist

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generally for tariff classification purposes. In the Excise area there is less

routine monitoring and more potential prosecution samples submitted,

particularly in relation to fuel laundering and counterfeit spirits. The

introduction of a new fuel marker in 2015 was very challenging for the

Laboratory because of a shortage of suitably trained staff to deal with the

30% increase in samples, many of which required rapid testing for the

new marker in support of active Revenue investigations. The Laboratory

also provided support and advice to Revenue during the tendering and

evaluation process for the deployment of roadside testing equipment.

Overall the introduction of the new marker has been a very successful

project and resulted in a very significant increase in Excise receipts for

Revenue in 2015.

Looking back, the move to new premises in 2005 proved to be an

important milestone for the State Laboratory. Moving to new, first class

laboratory facilities enabled the Laboratory to grow and develop the

highly specialised analytical service provided today. The focus for the

coming years will be to build on the progress made to date and to

continue to develop its capability and expertise to provide the quality and

range of service required by its clients. In feedback gained from annual

Customer Satisfaction surveys, the most important service attribute is

always the quality of the service provided and this is reflected in the

Laboratory’s current scope of accreditation. This has grown from 21 test

methods covering 34 analytes in 2005 to 46 test methods covering 397

analytes in 2015.

The quality and high standard of the work performed by the

Laboratory was further highlighted when the Laboratory submitted two

projects to the Civil Service Excellence Awards in October 2015 and one

project was short listed for an award under the Insight and Analysis

category.

Full details of work of the State Laboratory and its achievements in

2015 are presented in this annual report. As always without the

commitment and dedication of its staff none of this would have been

possible. The Laboratory lost six long-serving staff members through

retirements in 2015 and the loss of scientific knowledge and expertise

will be hard to replace. However the recruitment of new staff, including

seven chemists in 2015, will enable the Laboratory to build for the future

and deliver on its vision of providing a world class regulatory scientific

service to the State. It is planned to recruit new staff to the Laboratory

Analyst grade in 2016 which will improve the timeliness of the service

provided as this is another important attribute for clients and one that

was negatively impacted in 2015.

In conclusion, I would like to sincerely thank all the staff of the

Laboratory for their hard work and support throughout the year. Many

had the very important task of training and mentoring new staff, in

addition to delivering on their own goals and keeping abreast of scientific

innovations. This meant that our clients continued to receive a high

quality and comprehensive service that met their needs despite the many

challenges.

_________________

Ita Kinahan,

State Chemist

INTRODUCTION by the State Chemist

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The State Laboratory is a scheduled office under the aegis of the

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and it is the

Government’s principal analytical chemistry laboratory. Its high level

objective is to provide an accredited, high quality and timely chemical

analysis and advisory service to Government Departments and Offices,

which supports their policies, regulatory programmes and strategic

objectives, particularly in the areas of food and feed safety; revenue

collection; fraud prevention; public health and environment protection. It

also provides centralised forensic toxicology services to the Coroners

and other public sector clients.

In 2015, a total of 12,928 samples were analysed for 429,705

analytes, an increase of 7% on the total samples tested in 2014. This

increase was mainly due to increases in the number of food of animal

origin samples tested for veterinary residues and hydrocarbon oil

samples tested for fraud purposes.

Analytical chemistry is a continually evolving area and staff of the

Laboratory keep abreast of technological changes and take advantage of

the opportunities offered by new technology to improve the quality and

efficiency of the service provided to our clients. EU and Irish legislation

is regularly updated to reflect technological developments and the

Laboratory must continually update and improve its methods of analysis.

In 2015, new methods of analysis were developed and existing methods

were extended so that a total of 77 new tests were introduced, using a

variety of analytical techniques.

The Laboratory has an important advisory function, particularly in

the Customs and Excise area, and its staff act as the Irish representatives

at EU scientific committees and technical working groups on behalf of

Revenue and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI).

Laboratory staff also actively participate and represent Ireland as national

experts in international standardization bodies such as Codex

Alimentarius, the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN),

Eurachem and the Consultative Committee on the Amount of Substance

(CCQM).

The Laboratory has been designated as Ireland’s main Official

Control Laboratory for animal feedingstuffs and as a National Reference

Laboratory (NRL) for parameters such as nutritional additives for use in

animal feed, veterinary residues in food of animal origin and dioxins and

other contaminants in feed and food. Staff collaborate with the EU

Reference Laboratory (EURL) in their area of competence, attend NRL

network meetings and workshops and disseminate information supplied

by the EURL to the competent authority and official national

laboratories.

National and international acceptance of results of analysis requires

laboratories to have third party peer accreditation of its methods of

analysis. The State Laboratory operates in accordance with a

documented quality system based on an international standard for

competence of testing laboratories (ISO/IEC 17025) and is accredited by

the Irish National Accreditation Board as being in compliance with this

standard for specific areas of work (INAB Reg. No. 146T). The

Laboratory successfully underwent an annual assessment visit by INAB in

2015 and it is currently accredited for 46 test methods covering 397

individual analytes.

This annual report details the implementation of the State

Laboratory’s Strategy Statement for 2015 and highlights the Laboratory’s

main activities and achievements under each Strategic Goal.

OVERVIEW

OVERVIEW

Numbers of Samples Tested

No. of Samples No. of Analytes Tested For

Food and Feed Safety 3,843 37,117

Revenue Collection and Fraud Prevention 2,967 16,591

Forensic Toxicology Service 5,693 372,512

Public Health and Heritage Protection 101 112

Veterinary Toxicology Service 324 3,373

Overall Total 12,928 429,705

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PROGRESS IN RELATION TO GOALS Strategic Goal 1

Support National Food and Feed Safety Programmes

Strategic Goal 1: Support National Food and Feed Safety Programmes As Ireland is a major food exporter, monitoring and controlling aspects of food and animal feed safety is a high priority. The State

Laboratory assists the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in

ensuring the quality and safety of Irish food and food products by monitoring compliance with European and national legislation

governing the production, distribution and sale of animal feedstuffs and by testing a wide range of foods for veterinary residues and

other contaminants.

Animal Feedingstuffs Animal feed is one of the most important components of the production

chain of food of animal origin. In economic terms, animal feed accounts

for up to 70% of the total costs of animal production and has an impact on

animal health and productivity as well as on food safety and quality. The

aim of animal feed controls is to ensure that feedingstuffs are of good

quality and do not constitute a hazard to human or animal health. The

controls are implemented through risk based inspections and sampling of

feedingstuffs at all stages of the feed chain.

The State Laboratory is the principal laboratory responsible for

feedingstuffs analysis in Ireland. Samples of feed materials, feed additives,

mineral mixtures and compound feeds are routinely tested to ensure that

they contain the declared nutrients (protein, fat, starch and minerals),

micro-nutrients (trace elements, vitamins), fibre and moisture contents and

do not contain elevated levels of toxic components (dioxins, mycotoxins,

heavy metals).

During 2015, a number of priority samples were submitted for

analysis. These included 22 samples to be tested for fluorine as a follow up

to a Rapid Alert issued in May 2014. Due to the small number of samples

normally included in the annual inspection plan for fluorine analysis, this

testing was previously outsourced. However, the Rapid Alert investigation

revealed significant problems with how this analysis was performed in

different EU laboratories. For this reason the decision was taken by the

State Laboratory to develop a method in-house for this analysis from 2016

onwards.

Other priority samples were tested for arsenic, cadmium, lead and

selenium as part of an investigation into cattle deaths on a farm in July but

no significant levels were detected. Also in July, two non-routine cattle

feed samples were tested for sulphur content.

A new ICP-MS instrument was purchased during 2015 and work

commenced on developing a method for the simultaneous determination

of 15 trace elements, heavy metals and other elements in feed. The

Laboratory participated in a CEN collaborative trial for this method and

when accredited and implemented, it will significantly improve the

Laboratory’s efficiency. The Laboratory also participated in a CEN

collaborative trial for an ICP-MS method for iodine in feed.

Medicated Feed Prescribed antibiotics can be given to livestock in the form of medicated

feed and the correct dosage rate is important to prevent a build up of

antibiotic resistance. Feed samples are tested for authorised veterinary

medicines and coccidiostats (feed additives used to prevent coccidiosis, a

major disease in poultry and other farm animals) to ensure that the

correct therapeutic levels are present. During 2015, in addition to routine

testing, 15 feed samples were analysed for chlortetracycline to check the

homogeneity of the manufacturing process. Another 3 potential

prosecution samples were tested to check for the unauthorised use of

chlortetracycline.

During the production of feed containing coccidiostats, unavoidable

carry-over of these compounds can occur from target feed to non-target

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feed when the same production lines are used, potentially causing harm to

the non-target species. The Laboratory tests for carryover levels of 11

coccidiostats in rations destined for non-target species.

The Laboratory also tests for banned antibiotics which are no longer

allowed in livestock production in Europe and the method is capable of

detecting 12 different antibiotics. During 2015, this method of analysis was

transferred to a newer, more sensitive LC/MS/MS instrument. The new

method, which required significant revalidation, is capable of detecting 14

different antibiotics in feed. The method for carryover levels of

coccidiostats will be transferred to this new instrument during 2016.

During 2015, significant progress was made at EU level on a proposal

for a new regulation which will repeal Council Directive 90/167/EEC on

medicated feed. State Laboratory staff attended a number of meetings with

DAFM staff and provided scientific advice on the implications of new

tolerances that were being proposed for compositional labelling of

medicated feeds and proposed cross-contamination limits.

Food Safety To ensure that food produced in Ireland is of the highest standard, the

Food Safety Authority (FSAI) and DAFM work together to implement

comprehensive multi-annual control plans to monitor the production of

food at all stages of the food chain and ensure compliance with national

and international standards of food safety. The State Laboratory has

developed a high level of expertise in the chemical analysis of veterinary

drug residues and other chemical contaminants such as dioxins and

mycotoxins in food.

Veterinary Drug Residues The presence of unauthorised substances, residues of veterinary medicinal

products or chemical contaminants in food may pose a risk to public

health. Under EU legislation (Council Directive 96/23/EC), DAFM

administers a National Residues Monitoring Plan (NRMP) which is designed

to safeguard consumers from harmful residues in food of animal origin.

Animal categories and food products covered include bovines, pigs, sheep

and goats, horses, poultry, milk, eggs and honey.

There was a 19% increase in the number of samples tested for

veterinary drug residues in 2015, mainly due to the extension of existing

analytical methods to test for additional banned steroids and

corticosteroids. This testing had previously been outsourced and taking it

in-house has resulted in significant savings for DAFM and reduced the turn

around times.

Following a positive phenylbutazone result for an equine sample in May

2014, a positive release scheme was put in place with sampled carcasses

being detained at the factory pending the outcome of analysis. This

programme continued during 2015 with 140 samples prioritised and tested

within an average turn around time of 4 days. This short turn around time

put a significant strain on the Laboratory’s resources but it is considered

necessary because another positive result would damage Ireland’s

reputation as a major exporter of high quality fresh meat and meat

products.

Chemical Contaminants – Dioxins, Mycotoxins and Nitrates Dioxins are highly toxic environmental contaminants which must be

excluded from the human and animal food chain as approximately 90% of

human exposure to dioxins results from the consumption of contaminated

food such as dairy produce, meat and fish.

In addition to testing a wide range of feedingstuffs (including recycled

foods used for animal feeding), the State Laboratory tests infant formula

samples and foods such as milk and vegetable oils used in the dairy

PROGRESS IN RELATION TO GOALS Strategic Goal 1 Support National Food and Feed Safety Programmes

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industry. Animal fats for a range of species are sampled and tested under

the National Residue Monitoring Plan and samples of milk are tested for

the Environmental Protection Agency and Cork County Council as part of

their annual surveys to monitor background levels of dioxins in the

environment.

In 2015, samples were also tested for an FSAI survey on background

levels of dioxins and brominated flame retardants in Irish food of animal

origin. The majority of food samples tested by the State Laboratory are

individual samples which do not fulfil FSAI’s requirement for aggregate

sampling (composite samples typically comprising of 10 sub-samples)

specified in the contaminants legislation (Regulation 589/2014). This survey

involved a total of 240 individual samples being homogenised, combined

and mixed to form 55 composite samples for analysis.

The matrices tested included fat and liver samples from 4 different

animal species, samples of 8 different species of fish, milk and egg samples.

Dioxin testing was carried out in the State Laboratory and required the

Laboratory to extend its existing sample preparation procedures to

include the liver and fish matrices. A portion of each composite sample

was also sent to a contract laboratory abroad to be tested for brominated

flame retardants as the State Laboratory does not yet have this capability.

Mycotoxins are substances naturally produced by moulds and fungi

that can enter the food chain via contaminated animal feedingstuffs. The

Laboratory uses a multi-analyte LC/MS/MS method capable of detecting 16

mycotoxins in feed (12 quantitatively, 4 qualitatively) for routine testing of

feed samples. Under the National Residue Monitoring Plan, samples of milk

and liver are tested for aflatoxin M1 and ochratoxin A respectively.

There is concern at EU level regarding the possible health risks

associated with high dietary intakes of nitrates and since leafy vegetables

are the main source of dietary nitrate, maximum levels have been

established for nitrate content in lettuce and spinach and samples taken by

DAFM are analysed by the State Laboratory on a regular basis.

Fertilisers and Liming Materials The State Laboratory is Ireland’s approved laboratory for checking that

fertilisers placed on the market comply with EU legislation. Fertilisers and

liming material play an essential role in supporting plant growth and animal

production. Fertilisers supply the nutrients required to produce forage and

crops, and liming materials ensure that soil pH is optimised to support

plant growth. Fertilisers are routinely monitored for the following

nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, and sulphur. The minerals

magnesium and sodium are also tested for in relevant fertiliser samples.

Liming materials are monitored for particle size, total neutralising value

(TNV) and moisture content. This testing is particularly important when

new limestone quarries are opened. Regulation (EC) 2003/2003 for

fertilisers was amended in 2013 to include liming materials. The purpose of

the new legislation was to prevent a diversity of national rules in relation

to liming materials leading to distortion of the internal market.

During 2015, limestone samples were received for the first time for

evaluation under the new legislation. This meant that the fineness of the

liming materials had to be determined using a new wet sieving procedure.

Also for these samples total calcium, total magnesium and TNV expressed

as CaO had to be determined and a new ICP-OES method was developed

for determining total calcium and magnesium in samples submitted for new

licence applications. The introduction of the new legislation led to an

increase in the non-compliance rate and a doubling of the number of

limestone samples submitted for analysis during 2015 compared to the

previous year.

National Reference Laboratory Responsibilities The State Laboratory is a National Reference Laboratory (NRL) in the

following areas: residues of veterinary medicinal products (steroids,

corticosteroids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), nitroimidazoles and sedatives) in food of animal origin;


Support National Food and Feed Safety Programmes

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PROGRESS IN RELATION TO GOALS Strategic Goal 1 Support National Food and Feed Safety Programmes

Numbers of Samples Tested

Food and Feed Safety

Category of Sample No. of Samples No. of Analytes Tested For

Animal Feedingstuffs 717 8,762

Veterinary Residues in Food 1,964 12,265

Dioxins in Feed and Food 344 13,405

Mycotoxins in Feed and Food 477 1,946

Nitrates in Vegetables 85 85

Fertilisers / Liming Materials 256 654

Totals 3,843 37,117

New Methods Developed

Food and Feed Safety

Test Method Analytical Technique No. of Analytes

Steroids (8) in serum LC/MS/MS 8

Calcium and Magnesium in limestone ICP/OES 2

Limestone fineness by wet sieving method Gravimetric 1

Total 11

additives for use in animal nutrition;

dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in food and animal

feed; mycotoxins in animal feed and food of animal origin; and

heavy metals in animal feed.

This requires State Laboratory staff to collaborate with the relevant

European Union Reference Laboratories (EURLs) on analytical test

methods, oversee the performance of screening methods in official

laboratories in their areas of competence, and where necessary provide

technical assistance and advice to the official laboratories and DAFM as the

Competent Authority.

The State Laboratory’s NRL function in the veterinary drug residues

area expanded in 2015 when it was required to take a more active role in

overseeing an official laboratory that experienced significant analytical

problems during the earlier part of the year. At the request of DAFM,

State Laboratory staff carried out an audit of the official laboratory and

followed up to ensure that recommendations arising from the audit were

implemented and effective.

The Laboratory also convened a meeting with other NRLs to discuss a

proposal to update the legislation concerning the performance of analytical

methods and interpretation of results and the notes from this meeting

were provided to DAFM. Technical advice was also provided to DAFM in

relation to tender submissions from suppliers of outsourced testing under

the NRMP.

In November 2015, the Laboratory hosted a visit from the EU

Reference Laboratory (based in RIKILT, The Netherlands) and the

conclusions from the visit were very positive. The final report also

recommended that the State Laboratory devote more resources to

method development and, as the NRL for steroids, it should start

developing methods to detect the presence of steroid esters in hair or

serum which could provide conclusive evidence of the illegal administration

of growth promoting hormones.

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Strategic Goal 2: Support Revenue Collection and Fraud Prevention

The State Laboratory advises the Office of the Revenue Commissioners on the classification of goods and on the application of

appropriate excise duties on hydrocarbon oil products and alcoholic beverages and provides an analytical and advisory service in

relation to mineral oils, alcoholic beverages and non-potable alcohol-containing products.


Support Revenue Collection and Fraud Prevention

Customs Samples The number of samples submitted in the Customs area decreased by

15% in 2015 relative to the previous year but this is not necessarily an

accurate reflection of the level of work involved due to the wide variety

and complexity of cases submitted for tariff classification purposes. All

traded goods such as chemicals, foods, medicaments and plastics

imported into or exported from the EU must be classified for Customs

purposes and each separate product is assigned a particular classification

code. State Laboratory staff have a high level of expertise in this area

which enables them to advise Revenue on tariff classification of samples

that require chemical analysis to support classification decisions.

An important aspect of this work is attendance at meetings of

Technical Committees of both the European Union and the World

Customs Organisation where issues relating to the interpretation of

tariff headings are discussed and decisions made on the classification of

products. In 2015, tariff classification advice was provided for 335

samples compared to 347 samples the previous year.

The Laboratory also provided additional support to the Department

of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation (DJEI) during 2015 which involved

liaising with applicants for duty suspensions and deputising for DJEI staff

at relevant meetings. All applications were processed successfully.

Excise Samples The State Laboratory provides an analytical and advisory service to

Revenue in relation to mineral oils, alcoholic beverages and non-potable

alcohol-containing products to assist them in determining the

appropriate duties applicable and in prosecuting fraud where attempts

are made to evade such duties. During 2015, the Laboratory worked

closely with Revenue during the introduction of a new, more effective

fuel marker which was implemented from 1st April 2015.

Mineral Oil Testing Rebated (lower-taxed) fuel for off-road use (agriculture/home heating) is

marked with dyes or chemical markers so that its use for any other

purpose or illegal sale can be identified. A major illicit activity in relation

to mineral oil is the laundering of marked fuel to remove these markers.

This has been a persistent problem for many years as fuel laundering

poses a serious threat to the Exchequer, to legitimate trade and, because

of the processes used in laundering, to the environment.

The Revenue Commissioners devote considerable resources to

tackling this activity and in 2015, they carried out a nationwide testing

programme to detect the use of laundered fuel visiting over 500

premises in the process. The State Laboratory supported this work by

analysing samples of the fuel seized for the presence/absence of

prescribed oil markers and providing analytical evidence and expert

advice to facilitate the prosecution of those involved in this fraudulent

activity.

The introduction of the new marker in 2015, led to a 30% increase

in the numbers of potential prosecution fuel oil samples submitted for

analysis and an increase in the complexity of the analysis undertaken.

There was also a requirement for rapid analysis of the new marker in

priority samples to support Revenue investigations and enforcement

procedures. A new template for certificates of analysis had to be

created for samples containing the new marker and this was done in

collaboration with Revenue solicitors to ensure that the certificates

were fit for the purpose of supporting court prosecutions. Overall, it

has been estimated that there was a close to €500m increase in Excise

receipts for 2015 as a result of the introduction of the new marker.

Also during 2015, Revenue issued a tender for the supply of

roadside testing equipment for the new marker, and the State

Laboratory played a key role in evaluating two instruments that were

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submitted in response to this tender. Following testing under laboratory

conditions and subsequently on the road, a report was prepared for

Revenue on the performance and suitability of the two instruments as

mobile testing equipment for the new marker in fuels. The Laboratory

also supported the implementation of roadside testing by supplying

suitable calibration solutions and advice on appropriate procedures to

avoid contamination.

Other work was carried out for County Councils responsible for

disposing of the waste emanating from laundering plants that was dumped

illegally at sites in the border regions to detect the fuel markers present in

the waste.

Following the petrol contamination / stretching problem that emerged

in the West of Ireland, border regions and the midlands in the latter

months of 2014, petrol samples were submitted for analysis on an ongoing

basis by Customs and Excise officers during 2015. These were tested for a

range of fuel quality parameters to check for contamination or petrol

stretching.

Alcohol Testing For excise purposes, alcoholic beverages are classified as beers, wines,

ciders or spirits and duty is based on the alcohol content. Counterfeit

spirits are illegally produced alcoholic drinks which are often sold to

consumers as legitimate product.

The State Laboratory assists the Office of the Revenue

Commissioners to monitor compliance and to combat excise duty fraud

and the production and distribution of counterfeit spirits. Most samples

are tested for alcohol content and, where required, congener profiling and

testing for authenticity indicators is carried out. A small number of

samples containing non-potable alcohol are tested for denaturants.

Sample numbers for alcohol testing increased by 50% in 2015 as a

result of increased activity in relation to prosecutions for fraud. These

potential prosecution samples also required a lot more complex analysis

than non-prosecution alcoholic beverage samples that are submitted for

tariff / excise classification purposes. However, the latter can give rise to

difficult interpretation issues that require careful examination of case law

and other precedents.

PROGRESS IN RELATION TO GOALS Strategic Goal 2 Support Revenue Collection and Fraud Prevention

NUMBERS OF SAMPLES TESTED

Revenue Collection and Fraud Prevention


Customs 372 256

Excise - Mineral Oils 2,184 15,279

Excise - Alcohols 411 1,056

Totals 2,967 16,591

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Provide a Forensic Toxicology Service to the State

Forensic Toxicology Service The State Laboratory provides a forensic toxicology service to assist

Coroners and the State Pathologist to investigate the causes of

unexpected death by analysing post mortem samples to confirm the

presence or absence of ethanol, legal and illegal drugs and other toxic

substances. The levels of substances detected are also quantified.

The Laboratory also assists An Garda Síochána with criminal

investigations (e.g. death in custody, murder and alleged drug facilitated

sexual assault) where there is a need for confirmatory drug analysis on

biological samples to form part of the files for the prosecution of

individuals. This work gives rise to a need for staff to attend and give

evidence in legal proceedings.

Several recent reports have highlighted the marked increase and

severity of Ireland’s drug abuse problem. Data collated by the Health

Research Board over recent years shows a startling upward trend in

polydrug use, involving a combination of alcohol, illicit drugs and

prescription medication. The drug market is organised, lucrative and

constantly evolving as demonstrated by the explosion of designer drugs in

recent years.

State Laboratory staff are pro-active about using their wide network of

contacts to keep abreast of the latest drugs of abuse in circulation and

where possible they extend the scope of the methods of analysis to

include these new compounds as soon as reference standards become

available. The Laboratory is also represented on the Irish national early

warning system which is instrumental in identifying new drugs, monitoring

trends and making recommendations that ultimately support national harm

reduction initiatives.

Since 2013, all post-mortem samples nationwide have been submitted

to the State Laboratory for both screening and confirmatory analysis

which has enabled the laboratory to streamline and standardise the service

provided to all Coroners. During 2015, following an agreement with the

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Forensic Toxicology Service


Coroners 5,227 344,425

State Pathologist 380 21,942

Criminal Cases 86 6,145

Totals 5,693 372,512

NEW METHODS DEVELOPED

Forensic Toxicology Service


Screening method for drugs in urine extended to

include additional drugs

LC/MS/MS 24

Screening method for drugs in blood extended to

include additional drugs

HRLC/MS/MS 10

Total 34

PROGRESS IN RELATION TO GOALS Strategic Goal 3 Provide a Forensic Toxicology Service to the State

Coroners Society in late 2014, there was a change to blood only ethanol

testing in double matrix cases (both blood and urine samples submitted),

with urine testing available on request. This enabled the Laboratory to

focus its resources on expanding the range of drug testing with 34

additional drugs added to the overall scope of testing. This ensured that

the testing service remained current and met client requirements.

During the period 2012 – 2015 there has been a 47% increase in

sample numbers. Despite this upward trend, there has been no increase in

overall staffing levels assigned to this work area. Streamlined work

practices and new methods of analysis have mainly compensated for the

staffing deficit. However the loss of experienced staff due to retirements

and delays in recruiting new staff in 2015 resulted in the Laboratory not

meeting its turn around target of reporting 90% of samples within 3

months. Overall, 82% of samples were reported within the agreed time.

In October 2015, the Laboratory submitted a project entitled

“Optimising Forensic Toxicology Testing” to the Civil Service Excellence

Awards and it was short listed for an award under the Insight & Analysis

category. This reflected the excellent work the Laboratory’s staff had

been doing to improve the service to Coroners in difficult circumstances

over the previous few years.

15


Support Public Health and Environment Protection Initiatives

Public Health Protection The State Laboratory assists the Health Products Regulatory Authority

(HPRA) to control the use of unlicensed medicines by analysing seized

pharmaceutical and herbal products for the presence of pharmaceutically

active compounds and scientific staff provide expert testimony in

subsequent court prosecutions. The Laboratory also tests a small number

of samples from other sources including Customs & Excise officers, An

Garda Síochána, and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland.

The use of the internet to purchase unlicensed medicines continues to

be a cause for concern for the HPRA who issued an information leaflet on

the ‘Dangers of Buying Prescription Medicines Online’ in June 2015. There

is no guarantee about the safety or quality of medicines purchased online.

These products may not be genuine, may not contain the correct active

ingredient or may even contain dangerous toxic substances.

During 2015, the analysis of illegal products for zopiclone (a sedative),

clobetasol (a potent corticosteroid) and erectile dysfunction drugs such as

sildenafil, tadalafil and vardenafil, which can have potentially serious adverse

reactions, made up a large proportion of the analysis work performed for

the HPRA. Other products were tested for ephedrine (a central nervous

system stimulant), sibutramine (a slimming aid) and for a range of steroids.

There was a greater number of new methods developed during 2015

than in the previous year with 8 new HPLC/PDA methods validated and

accredited. A new “All Ions” QTOF LCMS method was developed for 15

drugs and the Laboratory was also awarded Flexible Scope accreditation

by the Irish National Accreditation Board for this method. This method

should improve the efficiency of the service provided and assist in the

analysis of “unknown” samples which can prove very time-consuming.

Heritage Protection The State Laboratory provides scientific assistance to the Office of Public

Works and a variety of other bodies responsible for the conservation of

Ireland’s heritage.

In 2015, the cooperation between the State Laboratory and the

Conservation Department of the National Gallery (NGI) continued with

analysis carried out on sample particles taken from ongoing Conservation

and Research projects. In December, Ele von Monschaw and Gina Grond

from the NGI visited the State Laboratory to use the Laboratory’s new

energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence instrument. A long term research

project into the materials used by Jack B. Yeats was widened to include

samples from additional paintings by him.


Public Health and Heritage Protection


Medicinal Products 80 91

Heritage Protection 21 21

Totals 101 112

16

PROGRESS IN RELATION TO GOALS Strategic Goal 4 Support Public Health and Environment Protection Initiatives

A second project involved a new NGI addition, a panel painting by

Maerten de Vos (1532-1603) which was undergoing treatment for the

planned re-opening after the National Gallery’s refurbishment. This rather

large panel has some key colours that one would associate with

contemporary artists of his time and therefore analysis of his yellow, red,

blue and petrol colours was of interest to get confirmation on materials

used by the artist.

The third research project was on a Victorian painting announcing

“The Death of the Queen ” by the Irish artist Richard Thomas Moynan. In

this unfinished painting, Moynan’s international training from Ireland to

Paris and Brussels is evident, and investigation into his pigments shed light

on the choice and availability of paint/pigments to him in Ireland. This

Conservation project was carried out in the National Gallery with the

cooperation of the Heritage Council which sponsored an internship for

Graduated Conservators.


Public Health and Heritage Protection


“All Ions” method for testing medicinal products QToF LC/MS 15

Drugs in medicinal products HPLC/PDA 8

Total 23

17


Provide a Centralised Veterinary Toxicology Service

Veterinary Toxicology Service The State Laboratory provides a qualitative toxicant testing service to

DAFM and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to assist

investigations into suspected poisonings of birds of prey such as the re-

introduced golden eagles, white tailed sea eagles and red kites and other

highly vulnerable species (buzzards, kestrels and owls) and to investigate

cases of suspected farm or companion animal poisonings.

There was a 38% increase in the number of samples submitted for

analysis in 2015. Most samples were submitted in the Spring from late

February to mid-April with further spikes in the months of July and

September. In 2015, a total of 35 poisonings of bird of prey persecution

incidents were confirmed in Ireland. This is the largest number of

confirmed incidents since testing began in 2011 and follows an increasing

trend in recent years.

The qualitative method used by the State Laboratory is capable of

detecting 13 of the most commonly used toxicants. Work progressed

well on developing new quantitative methods of analysis, with the

required sensitivity, to accurately determine the levels of analytes present.

These methods cover current toxicants plus all new second generation

anticoagulant rodenticides, as required by the Campaign for Responsible

Rodenticide Use (CRRU) which is supporting this work. However, there

was a long delay in obtaining the radio-labelled internal standard required

for accurate quantitation (which had to be produced specially) and this

meant that validation of the new methods could not be completed until

2016.

Veterinary Products The Laboratory analyses veterinary medicinal products seized for

enforcement purposes by DAFM Investigations Division. Sample numbers

were down on 2014, but there was a big increase in the number of new

methods of analysis that had to be developed and validated, 9 in 2015

compared to 2 in 2014. There was also a new requirement for the

analysis of unknown active ingredients in a variety of products which can

be very time-consuming. A new Veterinary Toxicology database for use

with the QTOF LC/MS instrument was purchased towards the end of the

year which should assist in the screening of these samples.


Veterinary Toxicology Service


Toxicants in post mortem samples 260 3,302

Veterinary Medicinal Products 64 71

Totals 324 3,373


Veterinary Toxicology Service


Drugs in veterinary products HPLC/PDA 9

Total 9

18

The State Laboratory has been involved in facilitating student placements

for many years. The work placements/experience are a compulsory part of

the students’ four year honours degree course and the placements must be

completed before the student begins their final year. The placements are

confined to students whose degree courses are particularly relevant to the

work of the Laboratory.

The Programme provides students with a developmental opportunity

to apply skills and knowledge gained during the first three years of their

degree course to a working environment. The Programme also offers the

students useful insights for their final year of study and prepares them for

seeking employment once they have completed their studies. In addition, it

gives the students a realistic and positive insight into the modern Public

Service and thereby encourages them to view a career as an Analyst or a

Chemist in the State Laboratory and other public service laboratories

positively.

During their placement, students obtain experience of the work in the

Veterinary Toxicology, Human Toxicology and Animal Feedingstuffs

Sections of the Laboratory. They carry out routine analyses, under the

supervision of Senior Analysts/Analysts, on food, animal feed, fertilizers,

and biological fluids using classical and instrumental techniques. All the

analyses are carried out according to the Laboratory’s quality and safety

policies and, in doing so, the students acquire knowledge of the underlying

analytical principles and relevant legislative or other background material.

The colleges and degree courses for 2015 were: Dublin City University – Analytical Science;

Limerick Institute of Technology – Pharmaceutical and Forensic

Analysis; Dublin Institute of Technology – Forensic and Environmental

Analysis; Galway Mayo Institute of Technology – Chemical and

Pharmaceutical Science

STUDENT PLACEMENT PROGRAMME

Emma Walsh, Student Analyst, Veterinary Toxicology Section, 2015 “As part of my degree in Forensic and Environmental Chemistry, I spent

almost 8 months on work placement working in the Veterinary Toxicology

section of the State Laboratory, working as part of a multi-disciplinary

team analysing veterinary drug residues in food samples of animal origin.

The aim of the work placement module is to allow students to apply

their analytical and laboratory skills in a professional environment and I can

honestly say with confidence that the State Laboratory has given me the

opportunity and the facilities to successfully achieve this aim. My time at

the lab allowed me the opportunity to further develop my skills and apply

the knowledge I gained during the first three years of my degree. In

addition, as a result of my time spent in the Veterinary Toxicology section,

I have gained invaluable experience which will undoubtedly be of huge

benefit to me going forward in my future career. Being part of an

establishment that carries out a wide range of analyses using various test

methods has truly broadened my knowledge of the array of methodologies

employed in a modern analytical chemistry laboratory. It also gave me a

lot of hands on experience with state of the art instrumentation and

techniques which I had not used before.

It must be said that the success of my experience at the State

Laboratory was due largely to the excellent staff members of the entire

laboratory, and in particular the Veterinary Toxicology section. From day

one I was treated as one of the team and I was entrusted with many tasks

and responsibilities which enabled me to get involved in all areas of the

section. The Veterinary Toxicology team offered endless cordial support,

not to mention exemplary guidance, mentoring and encouragement,

throughout the course of my work placement.

Overall it was as a result of my time and experience at the laboratory,

in combination with the influence of the staff of the Veterinary Toxicology

section, which was the ultimate factor in my decision to pursue a PhD in

the area of veterinary drug analysis.”

State Laboratory Student Placement Programme

19

Administration In 2015, there was an emphasis on recruitment and filling vacancies due

to the many retirements and other staff movements that occurred

during the year. There was also a significant effort put into managing the

transition to shared services.

Shared Services Shared Services are at heart of the Government’s Public Service Reform

Plan to maximise new and innovative service delivery channels, to

radically reduce costs to drive better value for money and to lead,

organise and work in new ways.

In March 2015, the State Laboratory transitioned to PeoplePoint, the

Civil Service centralised HR Shared Service which manages the

transactional elements of HR processes for client Departments and

Offices.

The State Laboratory continued to prepare for the introduction of a

Financial Management Shared Service (FMSS) and a member of staff from

the Laboratory participated in one of the working groups preparing for

the Civil Service wide implementation of the FMSS.

Staffing At the end of December 2015, the Laboratory had 83 Whole Time

Equivalent (WTE) staff members. This compares with 79 WTEs at the

end of 2014.

Ten staff members left the Laboratory during 2015. The following

staff retired: Patricia Bonner (Senior Chemist), Frances Mahon (Chemist

II), Keith Pearson (Senior Laboratory Analyst), Sean King (Senior

Laboratory Analyst), Sylvester O’Neill (Laboratory Attendant), Cornelius

Lucey (Senior Laboratory Analyst). One Clerical Officer returned to

their parent Department following a period of secondment and two

Clerical Officers returned to their parent Departments on promotion.

One Chemist Grade III resigned on appointment to another Department

on promotion.

Fourteen staff joined the Laboratory during 2015. Three Clerical

Officers, one Higher Executive Officer and one Administrative Officer

commenced periods of secondment. Following an open competition

undertaken by the Public Appointments Service, 7 Chemists Grade III

were recruited and 2 Laboratory Attendants were recruited following an

open competition run by the Laboratory.

In 2015, the Laboratory continued with its student placement

scheme in association with Dublin City University; Dublin Institute of

Technology; Galway Mayo Institute of Technology; Limerick Institute of

Technology; University College Cork; and University of Limerick. Four

students were placed in areas complementary to their academic

discipline for a period of six months.

Sick Leave In 2015, the Laboratory’s Lost Time Rate was 1.79% (down from 3.91%

in 2014) and compares with a Lost Time Rate of 4.4% for the Civil

Service as a whole in 2015. The average working days lost per full time

employee was 4.1 (the Civil Service average was 10.2).

Flexible Working Arrangements and Equality of Opportunity State Laboratory staff can avail of flexible working arrangements

including work-sharing, flexitime, parental leave and shorter working

year. Staffing shortfalls arising from staff availing of these arrangements

have to be absorbed by the Laboratory.

ADMINISTRATION

Family Friendly Policies Scheme % of staff availing of

scheme in 2014

Worksharing 12%

Parental Leave 8%

Career Breaks 1%

Shorter Working Year 9%

Gender Breakdown in The State Laboratory Grade Female Male

State Chemist 1 0

Principal Chemist 2 0

Senior Chemist 5 2

Assistant Principal Officer 1 0

Technical Information Manager 0 1

Chemist Grade II 5 5

Chemist 13 8

Higher Executive Officer 1 1

Senior Laboratory Analyst 9 3

Laboratory Analyst 8 6

Staff Officer 1 1

Clerical Officer 4 3

Laboratory Attendant 0 5

Total 50 36

Administrative Officer 0 1

20

Governance

Quality System The quality of analytical work from the State Laboratory is enhanced

through compliance with the quality standard ISO/IEC 17025 (General

requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories).

The State Laboratory operates in accordance with a documented quality

system and is currently accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 by the Irish

National Accreditation Board (INAB Reg. No. 146T) for 46 test

methods covering 397 analytes.

During 2015, the State Laboratory’s Quality Manager represented

Ireland on behalf of the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI)

on the ISO/CASCO (WG44) during the revision of ISO/IEC 17025.

Meetings were held in Geneva and were attended by approximately 80

international experts from many different countries.

System of Internal Financial Control The State Chemist’s Statement on Internal Financial Control which can

be found at Appendix I was submitted to the Office of the Comptroller

and Auditor General along with the State Laboratory’s 2015

Appropriation Account

The State Laboratory’s Audit Committee met twice in 2015. Internal

audits were conducted on Payroll and Travel & Subsistence payments

and Financial Reporting, Treasury & Revenue. A Review of the System

of Internal Control was also carried out and progress on implementing

corrective actions recommended in the course of previous audits was

tracked.

The Comptroller and Auditor General’s Office carried out their

annual audit of the State Laboratory’s 2014 Appropriation Account in

March 2015 and no significant issues were raised during the audit.

Financial Information The following table summarises the State Laboratory’s financial

expenditure in 2015, with figures for 2014 provided for comparative

purposes.

Prompt Payments In 2015, a total of four invoices incurred late payment interest penalties.

The total interest paid and penalties paid amounted to €171.66.

Freedom of Information The State Laboratory received no non-personal Freedom of Information

requests in 2015.

Protected Disclosures No protected disclosures were received by the State Laboratory in the

reporting period up to 30 June 2015.

Gross Expenditure 2014

€000

2015

€000

A1. Salaries, Wages & Allowances 4,819 4,948

A2. Travel and Subsistence 26 31

A3. Training and Development & Incidental Expenses

228 226

A4. Postal & Telecommunications Services 60 61

A5. Apparatus & Chemical Equipment 1,794 1,868

A6. Office Premises Expenses 1,372 1,478

A7. Consultancy Services (Internal Audit) 13 14

Gross Total 8,312 8,626

GOVERNANCE

21

Statement by the Accounting Officer on Internal Financial Control

Responsibility for system of Internal Financial Control As Accounting Officer I acknowledge my responsibility for ensuring that an effective system of internal financial control is maintained and operated by the

State Laboratory. This responsibility is exercised in the context of the resources available to me and my other obligations as Head of Office. Also, any

system of internal financial control can provide only reasonable and not absolute assurance that assets are safeguarded, transactions authorised and

properly recorded, and that material errors or irregularities are either prevented or would be detected in a timely manner. Maintaining the system of

internal financial controls is a continuous process and the system and its effectiveness are kept under ongoing review.

I have fulfilled my responsibilities in relation to the requirement of the Service Management Agreement between the State Laboratory and the

National Shared Service Office for the provision of payroll shared services and human resources shared services.

I rely on a letter of assurance from the Accounting Officer of the Vote for Shared Services that the appropriate controls are exercised in the

provision of payroll shared services and human resources shared services to the Laboratory.

Financial Control Environment I confirm that a control environment containing the following elements is in place:

financial responsibilities have been assigned at management level with corresponding accountability

reporting arrangements have been established at all levels where responsibility for financial management has been assigned

formal procedures have been established for reporting significant control failures and ensuring appropriate corrective action

there is an audit committee to advise me in discharging my responsibilities for the internal financial control system.

Administrative Controls and Management Reporting I confirm that a framework of administrative procedures and regular management reporting is in place including segregation of duties and a system of

delegation and accountability and, in particular, that: there is an appropriate budgeting system with an annual budget which is kept under review by senior management

there are regular reviews by senior management of periodic and annual financial reports which indicate financial performance against forecasts

a risk management system operates within the State Laboratory

there are systems aimed at ensuring the security of the ICT systems

there are appropriate capital investment control guidelines and formal project management disciplines

the State Laboratory ensures that there is an appropriate focus on good practice in purchasing and that procedures are in place to ensure

compliance with all relevant guidelines.

Following a malware attack in July 2015, contingency procedures were in operation for a period of fourteen weeks.

Internal Audit and Audit Committee I confirm that the State Laboratory has an internal audit function with appropriately trained personnel, which operates in accordance with a written

charter which I have approved. Its work is informed by analysis of the financial risks to which the State Laboratory is exposed and its annual internal audit

plans, approved by me, are based on this analysis. These plans aim to cover the key controls on a rolling basis over a reasonable period. The internal audit

function is reviewed periodically by me and by the Audit Committee. I have put procedures in place to ensure that the reports of the internal audit

function are followed up.

___________________ Ita Kinahan,

Accounting Officer, State Laboratory

29 March 2016

APPENDIX I

Statement by the Accounting Officer on Internal Financial Control

22

APPENDIX II

Meetings and Conferences attended by State Laboratory staff

Meetings and Conferences attended by State Laboratory staff The State Laboratory services EU and other international committees at the request of its client Departments. Laboratory personnel also participate in the work

of other international expert scientific bodies and conferences. The following list indicates the range of committee work undertaken by State Laboratory

personnel and the meetings and conferences attended during 2015.

Codex Alimentarius Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS) session in Budapest, Hungary Codex Alimentarius CCMAS EU Working Party meeting in Brussels Eurachem General Assembly in Warsaw, Poland Three meetings of Eurachem Ireland Committee in Dublin 21st Meeting of the Consultative Committee on Quantity of Material: Metrology in Chemistry (CCQM), BIPM, Sevres, France Three meetings of ISO/CASCO, WG44 on the Revision of ISO17025 in Geneva CEN (European Committee for Standardization)

13th and 14th meetings of CEN Technical Committee TC/327 WG4 on Heavy Metals, Trace Elements and Minerals in Animal Feedingstuffs, Brussels 17th meeting of CEN Technical Committee TC/327 WG3 on Feed Additives and Drugs in Brussels 3rd and 4th meetings of CEN Technical Committee TC/327 WG5 Natural Toxins in Animal Feed, Brussels

Meetings of European Union Reference Laboratories (EURL) and National Reference Laboratories (NRLs) networks 4th Workshop of the EURL for Feed Additives (EURL-FA) in Geel, Belgium 10th Workshop of the EURL for Heavy Metals (JRC - Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements) in Brussels 10th Workshop of the EURL for Mycotoxins (JRC - Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements) in Brussels Two workshops of the EURL for Dioxins/PCBs in Feed and Food in Lisbon, Portugal and Wageningen, The Netherlands Workshop of the EURL for Veterinary Drug Residues (RIKILT - Institute of Food Safety) in Wageningen, Netherlands

The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT) Conference in Florence, Italy Two meetings of UK & Ireland Forensic Toxicology Network (UKIAFT) in London and Bournemouth European Network of Forensic Science Institutes (ENFSI) Drugs Working Group Conference in Dublin Conference on New Psychoactive Substances in Munich, Germany “Nanolytica” - Workshop on Nanotechnology in Wageningen, The Netherlands Perkin Elmer UK/Ireland ICP MS Users Group meeting in London ThermoScientific Trace Element Analysis Users Group meeting in Dublin Irish Mass Spectrometry Society Conference in Dublin Digital Government Conference in Dublin Novosco Conference on Data Centre Disasters in Dublin PETFEC (Petroleum, Refining, Environmental Monitoring Technologies) Conference in Antwerp Meeting of the Energy Institute TMS Group on the Analysis of Accutrace S10 Fuel Marker in London Workshop on Economic Tariff Questions (Autonomous Tariff Suspensions and Quotas) in Copenhagen, Denmark Customs Laboratories European Network (CLEN) Steering Group Plenary meeting in Brussels Two meetings of the CLEN Project Group on Designer Drugs and other illicit products in Lisbon, Portugal and Brussels Meeting of the CLEN Textiles Group in Vilnius, Lithuania

Attended on behalf of Revenue Meeting of the Scientific Sub-Committee of the World Customs Organisation in Brussels Three meetings of the Customs Code Committee, Tariff and Statistical Nomenclature Section (Agriculture/Chemical Sector) in Brussels Two meetings of the Project Group concerning the Chemical Chapters of the HS/CN in Brussels Two meetings of the Project Group concerning the Chapter 22 of the HS/CN in Brussels Meeting of the Project Group concerning the Chapters 27, 38 and 40 of the HS/CN in Brussels

Attended on behalf of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Three meetings of the Economic Tariff Questions Group (Duty Suspensions) in Brussels Two meetings of the Commission Expert Group on Textile Names and Labelling in Brussels

23

Conference & Seminar Presentations by State Laboratory staff Presentation entitled “An Overview of the State Laboratory and its Elemental Analysis Applications” at the ThermoScientific Trace Elemental

Analysis Users Group meeting in Dublin Presentation on “A Modern Approach to Human Drug Residue Analysis” at ENFSI Conference in Dublin

Seminars and Workshops organised by State Laboratory staff The State Laboratory is the Irish member of Eurachem, a network of organisations in Europe having the objective of establishing a system for the

international traceability of chemical measurements and the promotion of good quality practices. The State Laboratory provides the Secretariat for

Eurachem Ireland which promotes Eurachem objectives in Ireland, including good quality practices, and it facilitates networking among Irish analytical

chemistry labs from the public, private and education sectors.

A new Eurachem Ireland committee was established in December 2014 and in 2015 a new website (www.statelab.ie/eurachem.html) was launched

and a LinkedIn group created. Eurachem Ireland supports the TrainMiC® programme and organised a Eurachem Ireland TrainMiC® workshop, which took

place on World Accreditation Day, 9 June 2015.

APPENDIX III Conference & Seminar Presentations

by State Laboratory staff

Eurachem Ireland TrainMiC® workshop at the State Laboratory

24

APPENDIX IV Irish National Accreditation Board Accredited Tests Summary of Schedule of Accreditation (Edition 19: 12/10/2015) *

* For further details, see our schedule of accreditation (Reg. No. 146T) on the INAB website (www.inab.ie).

Matrix Measurand Test Method Method ID

Animal Feedstuffs Crude Protein EN ISO 16634-1:2008. Nitrogen content by consumption by the Dumas Principle.

LSD A032

Animal Feedstuffs Crude Oils and Fats EU Commission Regulation 152/2009 Annex III (H). LSD A023

Animal Feedstuffs Crude Oils and Fats NIR Spectroscopy. LSD A031

Animal Feedstuffs Crude Fibre EU Commission Regulation 152/2009 Annex III (I). LSD A024

Animal Feedstuffs Crude Fibre NIR Spectroscopy Screening Method. LSD A031

Animal Feedstuffs Crude Ash In house method based on EU Commission Regulation 152/2009 Annex III (M).

LSD A026

Animal Feedstuffs Crude Ash Gravimetric method using a Microwave Furnace. LSD A030

Animal Feedstuffs Ash Insoluble in HCl EU Commission Regulation 152/2009 Annex III (N). LSD A034

Animal Feedstuffs Moisture EU Commission Regulation 152/2009 Annex III (A). LSD A027

Animal Feedstuffs Macro and Trace Elements (8) IS EN 15621:2012. ICP OES with Microwave Digestion. LSD A060

Animal Feedstuffs Heavy Metals (6) ICPMS with Microwave Digestion. LSD A062

Animal Feedstuffs Nicarbazin In House HPLC method with DAD, based on IS EN 15782:2009. LSD A050

Animal Feedstuffs Monensin, Narasin and Salinomycin EN ISO 14183: HPLC with post column derivatisation. LSD A051

Animal Feedstuffs Coccidiostats (11) In house LCMSMS Method. LSD A052

Animal Feedstuffs Antibiotics (14) In house LCMSMS Method. LSD A053

Animal Feedstuffs Chlortetracycline In House HPLC method with DAD LSD A072

Animal Feedstuffs Sulphadenazine In House HPLC method with DAD LSD A076

Fertilisers Nitrogen Content Nitrogen content by consumption by Dumas Principle. In house method based on AOAC official method 993.13.

LSD A036

Drugs Flexible Scope (Analyte and Range) Identification and Quantification of pharmaceuticals samples

In house method using HPLC –DAD. Complies with relevant requirements of OJEC 2002/657/EC, ICH guideline Q2 (R1), Q2B and Q6A and monographs from British, European and US Pharmacopoeia.

LSD J012

Drugs

Identification of Pharmaceutical Samples (3) Sildenafil, Tadalafil, Vardenafil

In house QTOF LCMS method based on the requirements of Commission Decision 2002/657/EC, ICH guideline Q2 (R1), Q6A and monographs from British, European and US Pharmacopoeia.

LSD J043

Drugs

Flexible Scope (Analyte and Range) Identification of Pharmaceutical Samples

In house QTOF LCMS method based on the requirements of Commission Decision 2002/657/EC, ICH guideline Q2 (R1), Q6A and monographs from British, European and US Pharmacopoeia.

LSD J044

Milk (Liquid & Powder)

Aflatoxin M1 Based on an EU/STM method. Extraction and IA column clean-up. RP HPLC with fluorescence detection.

LSD J025

Animal Feedstuffs Aflatoxin B1 Based on an EU/STM method. Extraction and IA column clean-up. RP HPLC with fluorescence detection.

LSD J024

Liver Ochratoxin A In house method using IA column cleanup and RP HPLC with fluorescence detection.

LSD J026

25

APPENDIX IV Irish National Accreditation Board Accredited Tests

Summary of Schedule of Accreditation (Edition 19: 12/10/2015) *

* For further details, see our schedule of accreditation (Reg. No. 146T) on the INAB website (www.inab.ie).

Lettuce, Spinach and Cabbage

Nitrates In house based on EN12014-2:1997-04. Anion exchange chromatography following extraction and clean-up.

LSD M062

Food and Feed Dioxins and Dioxin-like PCBs (35) In House GC/HRMS method. LSD V052

Animal Feedstuffs Mycotoxins (11) In house Multi Analyte LCMSMS method LSD J038

Pure starches, Animal feed, Foods, Petfoods

Starch EU Commission Regulation 152/2009 Annex III (L); polarimetric method (Ewers principle).

LSD R013

Alcoholic Drinks Alcoholic Strength by Volume In house using a density meter following distillation. LSD B010

Gas Oil C.I. Solvent Yellow 124 In house method. Determination by HPLC. LSD H009

Meat and Meat Products

Nitrogen ISO 937:1978, Kjeldahl Method. LSD R030

Meat and Meat Products

Hydroxyproline ISO 3496 – 1994: In house method based on ISO 3496. LSD R018

Blood & Urine Ethanol In house method. Determination by internal standard quantitation using Headspace GC with FID.

LSD T003

Animal Urine Flexible Scope (Matrices, Residues and Ranges) Steroids (17)

In house method by LCMSMS meeting requirements of Council Directive 96/23/EC (2002/657/EC).

LSD V031

Animal Serum Flexible Scope (Matrices, Residues and Ranges) Steroids (6)


LSD V046

Poultry Liver Flexible Scope (Matrices, Residues and Ranges) Steroids (11)

In house method by LCMSMS requirements of Council Directive 96/23/EC (2002/657/EC).

LSD V061

Animal Serum Flexible Scope (Matrices, Residues and Ranges) Nitroimidazoles (7), Chloramphenicol


LSD V038

Eggs Flexible Scope (Matrices, Residues and Ranges) Nitroimidazoles (7), Chloramphenicol


LSD V049

Honey Flexible Scope (Matrices, Residues and Ranges) Nitroimidazoles (7), Chloramphenicol


LSD V063

Milk Flexible Scope (Matrices, Residues and Ranges) Nitroimidazoles (7), Chloramphenicol


LSD V064

Animal Plasma and Milk

Flexible Scope (Matrices, Residues and Ranges) Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (11, 9)


LSD V039

Animal Kidney Flexible Scope (Matrices, Residues and Ranges) Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs (12)


LSD V068

Animal Kidney Fat Flexible Scope (Matrices, Residues and Ranges) Gestagens (5)


LSD V033

Urine Flexible Scope (Matrices, Residues and Ranges) Corticosteroids (5)


LSD V058

Animal Kidney Flexible Scope (Matrices, Residues and Ranges) Sedatives (8)


LSD V067

Matrix Measurand Test Method Method ID

26

APPENDIX V Energy Use Statement

Energy Use Statement In 2015, the gross energy consumption by the State Laboratory was as follows:

Electricity 2,263,631 kWh

Gas 3,464,209 kWh

Total 5,727,840 kWh

The total gross energy consumption value compares with a baseline value (2006-2008) of 7,346,772 kWh. Consequently, the Laboratory’s energy

performance indicator (EnPI) for 2015 is 29% better than baseline, which uses total useable floor area (TUFA) as the relevant metric for the Laboratory.

This is in-line with the national energy efficiency target set by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), where Public Bodies must improve their

energy efficiency by 33% by 2020.

The reduction in energy consumption to date has been achieved by the following measures: reducing the number of air changes per hour in the laboratories to the minimum required to ensure a safe work environment for staff;

reducing the flow on air-handling and extraction systems outside of working hours;

installing individual switches on fume cupboards to allow users to control their operation more efficiently; and

engaging staff to reduce unnecessary energy consumption on a day to day basis.

In late 2015, the Laboratory upgraded its nitrogen generation system and replaced its air compressors. The upgrade works incorporated a heat

exchanger to recover waste heat from the air compressors and this should reduce energy requirements and CO2 emissions in the future.

27

STATE CHEMIST

ITA KINAHAN

Principal Chemist Dr. Paula Shearan

Principal Chemist Barbara O’Leary

Customs & Excise

Dr. Siobhán Ní Ghríofa

Animal Feedingstuffs Eileen McCarron

Human Toxicology

Dr. Yvonne Kavanagh

Contaminants Dr. Liam Regan

Information Technology & Health

Joanne O’Shea

Corporate Services Nuala Talty

Quality Assurance & Environment

Dr. Gráinne Carroll

Veterinary Toxicology Dr. Ed Malone

MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE

APPENDIX VI Organisation Chart

(as at 31st December 2015)

28

State Chemist

Ita Kinahan

Principal Chemist

Barbara O’Leary Dr. Paula Shearan

Senior Chemist

Dr. Gráinne Carroll Dr. Yvonne Kavanagh

Dr. Ed Malone Eileen McCarron

Dr. Siobhán Ní Ghríofa Joanne O’Shea

Dr. Liam Regan

Chemist Grade II

Dr. Pierrick Fevrier Dr. John Fields Dr. Seán McGowan

Eddie McGrath Audrey Nugent Ruth Reilly

Dr. David Savage Dr. Julie Tierney Claire Timbs

Mairéad Webster

Technical Information Manager Grade II

Dr. Michael O'Gorman

Chemist

Ann Marie Bragason Dr. Helen Burke Dr. Helen Cantwell Dr. Jonathan Carroll Paula Clarke Dr. Eleanor Dixon

Dr. Geraldine Dowling Michael Doyle Niamh Fitzgerald Joe Fitzsimons Lynda Harman Ray Kelly

Myra Keogh Úna McArdle Dr. Mark McDonald Dr. Amy Nagle Olivia O'Connor Sharon O'Keeffe

Dr. Colmán Ó Ríordáin John Reilly Patrick Saunders

Senior Laboratory Analyst

Judith Boyle Sheevaun Cody Angela Cunningham

Laura Flynn Fiona Gallagher Marella Gallagher

Carol Gleeson Bernard Hanratty Tom Harbison

Ciara McDonnell Noreen Monahan Aengus Ó Briain

Laboratory Analyst

Sinéad Bermingham David Canny Patricia Carter Simon Daly

Madeleine Gibbons Johanna Gilligan Sheila Martin Vicky MacEoin

Alan Murphy Colm Reid Denis Ryan Sinéad Ryan

Dennis Sheehan Fiona White

Laboratory Attendant

Simon Chiu Tom Gaule Mark Keane

John Moylan Declan Powell

Corporate Services

Nuala Talty - Assistant Principal Pat Fannin - Higher Executive Officer Mary Quine - Higher Executive Officer Phyllis Barry - Staff Officer John Clancy - Staff Officer Damien Duffy - Clerical Officer

Elizabath Ellard - Clerical Officer Geraldine Gaffney - Clerical Officer Paul Hirtes - Clerical Officer Niamh Kenny - Clerical Officer Derek Martin - Clerical Officer Nicola Seery - Clerical Officer

ICT

John Burke - Administrative Officer

APPENDIX VII Staff List By Grade (as at 31st December 2015)

State Laboratory Annual Report

Documents

Transcript of State Laboratory Annual Report