Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 168: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if he will improve the regulation of the bottled water production and description to provide more information for the consumer on the source of bottled water; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37585/09]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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The production and description of bottled water is governed by the European Communities (Natural Mineral Waters, Spring Waters and Other Waters in Bottles or Containers) Regulations 2007 (Statutory Instrument 225 of 2007). This Statutory Instrument gave effect to a number of EU directives, including Commission Directive 2003/40/EC, and establishes, among other things, the labelling requirements for natural mineral waters, spring waters and other waters. Under these regulations the labels for natural mineral waters and spring waters are obliged to give the source of the water; this is not the case for other waters. However, the label for other waters cannot purport that the water is a natural mineral water or that it came from a spring. I am satisfied that the provisions of Statutory Instrument 225 of 2007 requires bottled water producers to provide sufficient information to the consumer as to the source of the water to enable them make informed choices when purchasing bottled water.