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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 24 May 2001

Vol. 537 No. 1

Written Answers. - Health and Safety Regulations.

John Bruton

Question:

65 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment her policy on food labelling from the perspective of ensuring that consumers have simple, accurate, relevant and readable information on the health and nutritional implications of purchasing decisions. [15476/01]

There is quite a considerable body of largely EU derived legislation concerned with the production, marketing and sale of food products directed at protecting the health, safety and economic interests of consumers. Responsibility for this legislation is spread over a number of Departments, having regard to their respective policy remits.

My Department is responsible for the European Communities (Labelling, Advertising and Presentation of Foodstuffs) Regulations, 2000 (S.I. No 92 of 2000). These regulations give effect to EU labelling rules of a general nature that apply to all foodstuffs. These rules are designed to ensure consumers have the information necessary to make informed choices about the products that they purchase. They require that the information provided to consumers be legible, accurate and truthful. Certain specific information must be provided on the labelling of pre-packaged foodstuffs, including the name of the foodstuff, the name and address of the manufacturer, packer or seller, the list of ingredients, the net quantity and the best before date or date of minimum durability as appropriate. A codified text of the relevant EU rules is contained in European Parliament and Council Directive 2000/13/EC of 13 March 2000. The regulations apply to all foodstuffs placed for sale on the Irish market, with the exception of foodstuffs pre-packaged on a retail premises for direct sale to a consumer to which many of the provisions do not apply.

There are additional labelling requirements for certain food products. These requirements are specified in legislation that falls within the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. My colleague, the Minister for Health and Children, is responsible for legislation relating to the labelling of foodstuffs intended for specific nutritional uses, such as baby food.

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