Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 27 May 1999

Vol. 505 No. 5

Written Answers. - Genetically Modified Organisms.

Trevor Sargent

Question:

26 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Health and Children the position in relation to genetic engineering in aspects of foods and any other areas for which his Department has responsibility; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11017/99]

Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Dr. Moffatt)

I am very much aware of the concerns of consumers in relation to genetically engineered food.

My Department is the competent authority in Ireland for Regulation (EC) No 258/97 which came into force in all member states on May 15 1997 and applies to the placing on the market of novel foods and novel food ingredients. Food and food ingredients which have not, as of May 15 1997, been used to a significant degree within the European Community and which contain or are produced from a genetically modified organism fall within its scope. The regulation provides that novel foods and novel food ingredients, if not substantially equivalent to their non-novel counterparts, must be officially approvedauthorised before being placed on the European market. The regulation also contains provisions in certain instances for the labelling of novel foods and food ingredients.

Council Regulation (EC) No 1139/98 concerning the labelling of certain foodstuffs produced from genetically modified organisms ensures that the provisions of Regulation 258/97 apply to foods and food ingredients consisting of or derived from GMOs which were placed on the market before the entry into force of Regulation 258/97. These controls provide protection to consumers and I am keeping the matter under continuing review to ensure that this continues to be the case.

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland has established a GMO and novel foods sub-committee which serves to advise me on issues in this area together with affording a forum for the exchange of expert scientific opinion and advice on this new technology and its application to food. This sub-committee has recently published a report entitled Food Safety and Genetically Modified Foods and, in its opinion, the genetically modified food ingredients currently on the market in Ireland are as safe as their traditional counterparts.

My Department is also responsible for legislation on medicinal products. Great advances in the area of medicines have been brought about as a result of genetic engineering. All medicinal products, including those derived from, containing or consisting of genetically modified organisms, must be licensed in accordance with both national and European legislation before they can be placed on the market in Ireland.

Whilst the Irish medicines board is the competent authority in Ireland for the licensing of medicinal products in Ireland, under Council Regulation 2309/93, medicinal products developed by specified biotechnological processes are required to be centrally licensed by the European Commission on the advice of the European Agency for the evaluation of medicinal products. The regulation contains specific provisions relating to medicinal products containing or consisting of GMOs.