LAU44031 Food Law

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, students should be able to:

• Identify the key sources of Irish Food Law;
• Categorise the main areas of Food Law and assess the most significant rules and regulations in each;
• Appraise the manner in which the production and marketing of food is regulated;
• Analyse the interaction between Food Law and human activity; and
• Assess the impact of other disciplines on the formulation of Food Law.

Module Learning Aims

To develop a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of Irish and European Union food law.

Module Content

Food safety has become a priority for the EU lawmaker, in particular following a series of scares such as those about ‘mad cow disease’ (BSE), dioxin poisoning and genetic modification. There are ongoing concerns about the relationship between diet and health. This module examines the ways in which the law can be, and is, used to address these problems. The focus is primarily on European Union rules in this area, as it is from here that most of our food law in Member States like Ireland now originates. The course will commence with a re-examination of EU rules on free movement for goods, with emphasis on the movement of food. Other topics covered by this module include organic food regulation, food safety, food quality, aspects of intellectual property rights, animal welfare, food labelling and claims and novel foods.

Recommended Reading List

MacMaoláin, ‘Irish Food Law’, Hart Publishing: Bloomsbury, 2019, ISBN: 978-1-5099-0779-3.