MEP CALLING FOR ‘HURLEYS’ TO HAVE EU PROTECTIVE STATUS
An Irish MEP is trying to secure special EU protective status for Hurleys.
Normally such protection is reserved for food products like certain cheeses, wines and champagne.
But Labour MEP Phil Prendergast says the EU needs to extend that protection to cultural icons like the hurley.
She explains what that protection – known as a PGI – would mean.
“It gives producers protection against the product being made and marketed outside a specific region – now Ireland would qualify as a region in itself” she said.
“This is a product we should not be importing – we should have the remit within our own country to have the protective status put on the hurley”.
“The same as we’ve looked for in relation to food products like the Blaa, which we were successful with in Waterford; and that we’re now seeking to have spiced beef in Cork also made very specific to its area” she added.
