IN what may be the first case of its kind in an Irish court, Flogas (Ireland), Ltd pleaded guilty to a breach of EU regulations relating to statistical information on imported goods. At Drogheda District Court yesterday state solicitor Mr Gerald Daly said the case related to the non-return of forms by the company. It is obliged to complete the forms which are then used by the Central Statistics Office and information is abstracted from them.

The action taken by the Revenue Commissioners related to a three-month period in 1994 when Flogas failed to submit details of its imports. It is obliged to do so under the European Community (Interstat) Regulations 1993.

Tax inspector Mr Richard White said that some returns had been submitted. The company gave an undertaking in court that the remainder would be returned by the end of next week and he accepted that undertaking. Solicitor Mr Ronan O'Reilly, for Flogas, said there was no loss of revenue to the State and the forms related to statistical information only. Judge Flann Brennan imposed a mandatory fine of £1,000 in each case but recommended this could be mitigated by the Revenue Commissioners.