Vol. 495 No. 4
134 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the length of time it takes to obtain a licence for a new product in Ireland which is not part of the EU review process and is not a new product at EU level today compared to circumstances in 1990. [20148/98]
The procedure for authorising new plant protection products involves a review of the data relating to the physical, chemical and technical properties of the product, the residue profile in food, toxicological profile, fate and behaviour in the environment and ectotoxicological profile. The time laspse for this evaluation can be up to four years. In the case of a new product which is similar to one already on the market a "permission to market" authorisation may be granted within one year of application. The review process for new products is now more detailed and complex and it is not correct to compare the time involved with that taken in 1990.
