Conradh na Gaeilge has said the decision by the European Court of Justice yesterday that information on veterinary medicinal products sold in Ireland should be in both Irish and English is both “important” and “historic”.
Yesterday the European Court of Justice found in favour of a native Irish speaker from the Galway Gaeltacht who claimed that information accompanying veterinary medicinal products did not comply with a directive that it be provided in both Irish and English, the two official languages of Ireland.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Conradh na Gaeilge’s Peadar Mac Fhlannchadha said there is now a clear direction for the State to implement new directives that packaging for animal medication is bilingual.
He also described as “ridiculous” that basic language rights were not implemented in “our own country” and it was the European Court of Justice who had to ensure they were.
The case began on 14 November 2016, when the High Court in Ireland was requested to make a declaration that an EU directive was incorrectly transposed and Ireland was under an obligation to amend its law accordingly.
The High Court found that Irish legislation on the labelling and package leaflet of veterinary medicinal products did not comply with the language requirements set out in the directive and, therefore did infringe EU law.
However, the High Court noted that a new EU regulation, which is to apply from 28 January 2022, allows for information that must appear on the outer packaging, inner packaging and the package leaflet for veterinary medicinal products to be provided in the Irish or the English language.
The High Court’s view was that the applicant would obtain only a limited and temporary benefit from any amendment to Irish law in order to comply with the directive.
It also said that the suppliers and distributors of veterinary medicinal products would be faced with difficulties that could entail serious consequences for animal health and for the economic and social circumstances in Ireland.
In its judgment, the European Court of Justice said Ireland cannot disregard the obligation to transpose a directive on the ground that is purportedly disproportionate as it might prove costly or serve no purpose on account of the forthcoming application of a regulation intended to replace that directive.
The High Court is required to take all the appropriate general and particular measures to ensure that the result prescribed by that directive is attained and, accordingly, to make the declaration requested.
Mr Mac Fhlannchadha said this decision should not be short-lived despite new regulations in 2022, which will allow for Ireland to decide which language it wants on veterinary products.
He said Conradh na Gaeilge will be pushing that both Irish and English be used.
“They will have to be brought in between now and the end of the year and there is no reason why they cannot continue,” he added.
Mr Mac Fhlannchadha said it is completely within the remit of the State and said Conradh na Gaeilge will be taking this issue up with Taoiseach Micheál Martin and relevant Government departments.
Conradh na Gaeilge has said the decision by the European Court of Justice yesterday that information on veterinary medicinal products sold in Ireland should be in both Irish and English is both “important” and “historic”.
