Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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444. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine further to Parliamentary Question No. 160 of 25 January 2018, the reason there cannot be Irish language and Irish only food labels; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27573/18]

Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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The general framework for the labelling of food products has been established under Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011.

This Regulation requires, under Article 15, that the labelling of food products be provided "in a language easily understood by the consumers of the Member States where a food is marketed.”

Additionally, Member States can “stipulate that the particulars shall be given in one or more languages from among the official languages of the Union".

In the Irish context, S.I. No. 556 of 2014 (European Union (Provision of Food Information to Consumers) Regulations sets out, under Regulation 12, that labelling of food must be provided, at a minimum, in English with the option of additional labelling in the Irish language.

This national legislation was developed by the Department of Health to give effect to EU legislation on this issue which as outlined above is contained in Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011. In light of this, I have provided my colleague, Minister Harris, with a copy of your question and this reply for his consideration.