Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 11 Mar 1997

Vol. 476 No. 2

Written Answers. - Pesticide Usage.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

247 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry if he will initiate a pesticide reduction programme which would reduce the amount of harmful pesticides in the environment while at the same time reducing farmers' dependence on them and assisting them in changing to a more organic and sustainable system of food production. [6711/97]

Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry (Mr. Yates)

Pesticide usage in Ireland is low by European standards. Plant diseases, weeds and pests in agricultural crops are controlled by good husbandry practices, better technology, improved varieties of seeds, biological methods of control and plant protection products. In the case of plant protection products the regulatory system in this country ensures that no unacceptable influence on the environment should occur in terms of contamination of soil, water and air and effects on non-target species.

My Department's policy as regards the marketing of and use of pesticides embraces the concept of reducing the amounts used to the minimum necessary to achieve the desired effect. Financial support is already available to encourage farmers to convert to organic production — the rural environment protection scheme contains a supplementary measure which provides generous extra payments to REPS farmers in organic production, and the Department's operational programme for agriculture, rural development and forestry, 1994-99 contains a scheme of aid for the development of the organic farming sector. Aid is available under this programme for capital investment and for marketing/promotion projects.