A ruling by the European Union has decided that veterinary medicine sold in Ireland must be labelled in Irish, this is the first ever full judgement on a case conducted in the Irish language.
The Court of Justice of the EU (CJEU) said national courts cannot disregard the obligations on EU member states to ensure EU legislation is transposed correctly into legislation in their own country.
The 2016 case was referred to the EU court by Dublin’s High Court after Peadar MacFhlannchadha claimed the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine, had failed to transpose an EU directive on the labelling of veterinary medicines into Irish law.
The department argued the issue could have profound implications for the entire agricultural sector and for the economy as veterinary medicine suppliers might withdraw from the Irish market if they were required to provide labelling in Irish as well as Irish.
However, the CJEU ruled that EU member states must exercise its powers to take remedial steps to address national laws which incorrectly transpose EU legislation.
A CJEU spokesperson said it was a “curious and happy coincidence” that the court’s first ever proceedings in the Irish language took place on St Patrick’s Day.
LSL News.