Martin Ferris
Question:3 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he has abandoned his previous opposition to allowing genetically modified crops here; and if so, the reason therefore. [14888/04]
View answerThursday, 20 May 2004
Questions (3)
Oral answers (5 contributions)
The Government's position on GMOs has been consistent from the outset and was adopted as a result of the report of the interdepartmental group on modern biotechnology published in October 2000, which recommended a positive but precautionary approach towards GMOs and biotechnology in general. I outlined to the House on previous occasions the potential benefits of modern biotechnology provided such activities are carried out under the most stringent controls and based on full scientific evidence to ensure human health and the environment are fully safeguarded. Such safeguards are in place following the adoption by the Council and European Parliament over the past two years or so of a raft of regulations on GMOs which also provide for consumer choice through the labelling provisions.
The Irish decision to support the proposal for authorisation of EU sweetcorn Bt11 for marketing in the EU as a food was taken initially by the Department of Health and Children, following consultation with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland and on the basis of the scientific risk assessment undertaken by the Netherlands food assessment body and the EU scientific committee on food. These bodies concluded that Bt11 GM sweetcorn was as safe for human food use as conventional sweetcorn.
This position was adopted at the relevant EU regulatory committee which is serviced by the Department of Health and Children but the application did not receive the necessary qualified majority. Under Community rules it was then necessary for the Commission to put forward a proposal to the Council for a vote on the application. However, the necessary qualified majority was not achieved at the Agriculture Council and the decision to authorise the GM sweetcorn reverted to the Commission, which adopted the regulation yesterday.
The GM areas of direct relevance to my Department relate to the issue of the co-existence of GM crops alongside non-GM crops and controls on the authorisation and labelling of GM feed. The Commission decided that co-existence should be addressed at member state level and has provided a series of guidelines to assist in dealing with the issues that arise. All member states, including Ireland, are in the process of drawing up strategies and best practices to provide for effective co-existence arrangements.
An interdepartmental interagency working group has been established within my Department to establish the appropriate measures necessary for Irish farming practices and farming conditions and it has been given the task of identifying and evaluating the issues and implications for crop production in Ireland that would arise from the cultivation of GM crops and developing proposals for a national strategy and best practices to ensure the co-existence of GM crops with conventional and organic farming.
Additional information not given on the floor of the House.
The working group, as part of its work programme, is meeting relevant stakeholders in the preparation of their recommendations. These discussions will include the Northern Ireland authorities with particular reference to their co-existence strategies.
My Department has also introduced a sampling and analysis regime, in co-operation with the State Laboratory, aimed at ensuring that feed imports are labelled in accordance with the new labelling and traceability regulations recently introduced for GM food and feed. The Irish position on the future authorisation of GM events will be on a case-by-case basis, where scientific risk assessment and the controls provided by EU legislation will be critical considerations.
The Minister, together with the former Minister for the Environment and Local Government, Deputy Noel Dempsey, issued a statement in April 1997 in which they described GMOs as the largest nutritional experiment in human history with the consumer as a guinea pig. Is the Minister satisfied the guinea pig is okay from a health and safety point of view? Does he accept there has not been democratic consultation or decision making involving the Oireachtas or relevant committees?
It is asserted that GM crops could lead to higher productivity and returns for farmers but that is not the case. Monsanto's ready soya produced a yield which was 6.7% lower than the average yield of conventional varieties in 1998. A trial in 2000 highlighted a 11% differential. A 1998 University of Arkansas trial proved that GM soya and cotton produced lower yields and profits. Trials on GM oil, rape seed and sugar beet proved they generated between 5% and 8% lower yields than conventional crops. The main US and Canadian farmer representative groups have come out against GM foods because of the economic returns they yield.
I refer to co-existence with naturally produced foods. Commissioner Fischler was asked a question about this at the agriculture committee last week.
We are rapidly running out of time for this question. The purpose of Question Time is to elicit information.
How will farmers whose land has been contaminated as a result of GM production be compensated?
I have not heard of a farmer in Ireland who has been affected by GM contamination. I do not know where the Deputy is coming from. However, he raised a number of issues. I am satisfied the best international brains are deliberating on this issue. We established a national body which issued recommendations. This issue was discussed by the relevant authorities in each member state, the European Commission, various committees, the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers and it went back to the Commission. Various agencies in Holland and Germany drew conclusions on the issue and the FSAI was consulted. The Department of Health and Children adopted a serious attitude to the issue and maintained the consistency of the Government's position, which is to be cautious but positive.
Many products have been of major benefit throughout the world in terms of animal and human health as a result of the experiments that have taken place. We will deal with this issue on a case-by-case basis and that will ensure our national food standard is protected and the great quality of food produced here is maintained without any threat from GM products.