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Acts & Laws

Irish Law 

When a law comes into force in Ireland, it is known as a statute or an Act. Acts give powers to Ministers of Governments to make secondary laws, known as Statutory Instruments (S.I.s). These can be written as Regulations or Orders and detail specific rules and outline enforcement procedures. Read more about the Irish Legislative Process.

European Union (EU) Law

In general, EU law is composed of:

1. Primary Legislation
   Primary legislation, includes, in particular, the Treaties and other agreements having similar status, which are agreed by direct negotiation between the governments of Member States. These agreements are subject to ratification by the national parliaments.
2. Secondary Legislation
   Laws approved by the institutions of the EU through the procedures defined within the Treaties are known as secondary legislation. Community law may take the following forms:
   1. EU Regulations are directly applicable and binding in all Member States, including Ireland. Member States are required to introduce measures for their enforcement, such as penalties or fines, and to identify which national agency is responsible for their enforcement.
   2. EU Directives are binding on all Member States as to the objectives to be achieved within a certain time limit. Member States must adapt measures to meet the stated objectives. Directives have no legal force in Member States until they are transposed into national laws.
   3. EU Decisions are binding in their entirety (not just their objectives) on those to whom the Decisions are addressed such as a Member State, a Third Country, an organisation or an individual.
   4. EU Recommendations and Opinions are not binding but express the Councils or Commissions view on policy to the Member States or to the individuals to which they are addressed. Whilst not legally binding, they have political and moral significance and can be preliminary requirements to subsequent mandatory rules.
3. Case Law Food law can also come into force is as a result of European Union Case Law. Case-law includes judgments of the European Court of Justice and of the European Court of First Instance, for example, in response to referrals from the Commission, national courts of the Member States or individuals.

Read more about the European Union Legislative Process.

Last reviewed: 6/3/2009