About Accreditation
The Dublin Accreditation Council (DAC) is the national body with responsibility for accreditation in accordance with the relevant International Organisation for Standardisation ISO 17000 series of standards and guides.
DAC provides accreditation of laboratories, certification bodies and inspection bodies & reference material producers. It is the statutory body responsible for GLP.
DAC’s co-operation with other accreditation bodies in Europe and globally through Multilateral Agreements (MLAs) means that certificates issued by DAC accredited organisations are recognised internationally. Accreditation by DAC provides organisations and their customers with confidence in the product or service being offered.
Accreditation Schemes
Accreditation is the formal recognition of a body’s competence to conduct a specific activity such as testing, inspection or certification. This recognition is based on compliance with international and European standards. Compliance with these standards requires organisations to demonstrate competence, impartiality and integrity. It is often difficult for customers to distinguish between the quality of products or services available in the marketplace.
Certificates of conformance or test reports are normally used to make that distinction. These certificates or reports are only useful or reliable if the organisation or individual conducting the assessment or test is competent and qualified. The accreditation of the organisation, for a defined scope, is the mechanism that provides the customer with this confidence.
The international nature of the standards means that a company or product in Ireland can be assessed or tested to the same standards as a company in Switzerland or Australia, providing confidence in the comparability of certificates and reports across national borders.
Index of ISO/IEC Standards Associated with DAC Accreditation:
The international nature of the standards means that a company or product in Ireland can be assessed or tested to the same standards as a company in Switzerland or Australia, providing confidence in the comparability of certificates and reports across national borders.
- Laboratory Accreditation
- Testing / Calibration
- Medical Testing
- Accreditation of Inspection Bodies
- Accreditation of Certification Bodies
- European Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)
- Good laboratory practice
- Accreditation of Reference Material Producers
Why is Accreditation so important?
The single European market allows the free movement of goods, services and personnel within the European Union. This free trade presupposes confidence in the product or service being offered and can only be effective upon elimination of technical barriers to trade. Member States of the EU have established a network of national accreditation bodies, which ensures that the competence of all laboratories, inspection and certification bodies are assessed to the same principles.
The European Commission recognises accreditation as the preferred mechanism for the elimination of technical barriers to trade and has stated that “Accreditation is essential for the correct operation of a transparent and quality-oriented market.” Accreditation can provide competitive advantage and facilitate access to export markets, in addition to acting as a catalyst to raise standards and institute improved work practices.
Accreditation is often required to demonstrate conformance with the requirements of laws, official regulations and EU Directives.