Irish government has unveiled new regulations to strengthen legal protection for the local companies which are engaged in the production of spirits.
As per the new regulations, spirit drinks labeled with protected designations must be manufactured in Ireland while complying with the approved technical specification.
Ireland Agriculture, Food and the Marine Minister Simon Coveney said: "These regulations mean that inferior products or those that do not share the uniquely Irish heritage of these protected Geographical Indications cannot be sold as Irish Whiskey, Irish Poitin or Irish Cream."
Ireland has three protected spirits, Irish Whiskey, Irish Poitín and Irish Cream.
The regulations also prohibit the protected designations to be used on products manufactured elsewhere in the European Union (EU).
The regulations will also be effective for a range of other protected spirit drinks which are manufactured within the EU.
"They can help to protect the reputation and integrity of these products, but also to protect Irish jobs. From a consumer perspective, they will also give assurance to customers, at home and abroad, of the quality of the unique spirit products they are consuming." Coveney added.
The country exported about 7 million cases of Irish Whiskey to over 100 countries in 2014 and estimates Irish Whiskey exports to exceed 12 million cases by 2020 and 24 million cases by 2030, Coveney noted.
The country is expected to increase distilleries operations from four to 20 in the next three years.
