Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 December 2004
253 Mr. Mulcahy asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the genetically modified plants that are licensed to be grown here; the counties in which such genetically modified plants are currently being harvested; the genetically modified foodstuffs which are approved for use as animal feed here; and the food products, consumed by the general public, which contain genetically modified organisms. [32439/04]
View answerI am not aware of any harvesting or cultivation of genetically modified plants in Ireland. Seeds of genetically modified agricultural plants cannot be marketed in Ireland unless the GM seed variety is listed in the national catalogue of agricultural plant varieties of Ireland or included in either the EU common catalogue of varieties of agricultural plant species or the EU vegetable common catalogue. To be listed in such a catalogue, the GM event contained in the variety must firstly be approved under EU Directive 2001/18/EC, its predecessor, EU Directive 90/220/EEC, or EU Regulation 1829/2003. It must then successfully complete tests in a member state for distinctiveness, uniformity and stability and for value, cultivation and use. Finally, it must be included in a member state's national catalogue.
There are no GM seed varieties listed in Ireland's national catalogue. There are 17 varieties of maize currently included in the GM seed varieties of the EU common catalogue, which were genetically modified to be resistant to the European corn borer insect. These varieties were initially listed only in the national catalogues of Spain and France. As a result, they could only be cultivated in those member states and were inserted into the EU common catalogue last October.
In theory all seed varieties, including GM seed varieties, listed in the EU common catalogue can be cultivated in any member state including Ireland. However, the reality of the situation is that cultivation of the GM maize varieties referred to is unlikely to take place in Ireland because the European corn borer insect is not a significant pest in Ireland and the varieties in question are unlikely to be suitable for Irish growing conditions. The other controlling mechanism for GM cultivation within member states are procedures for managing the co-existence of GM crops alongside non-GM crops. Member states are obliged to draw up strategies and best practices based on EU guidelines to provide for effective coexistence arrangements of GM crops with non-GM crops. An interdepartmental working group has been set up by my Department to examine this matter.
The following tables set out information published by the European Commission on 19 July 2004 regarding the approval of products under the various processes either for cultivation, animal feed or food use. The European Commission decided on 19 May 2004 to approve Bt-11 sweetcorn for food use, NK603 maize for import, animal feed use and processing and decided on 26 October 2004 to approved NK 603 maize for food use. The following tables and additional information are available on the following website: europa.eu.int/geninfo/query/engine/search/query.pl.
|
Product |
Notifier |
Date of Commission Decision1/ Member State Consent2 |
|
|
1. |
Vaccine against Aujeszky's disease |
Vemie Veterinår Chemie GmbH |
18.12.92 |
|
2. |
Vaccine against rabies |
Rhône-MêrieuxC/B/92/B28 & C/F/93/03-02 |
19.10.93 |
|
3. |
Tobacco tolerant to bromoxynil |
SEITAC/F/93/08-02 |
08.06.94 |
|
4. |
Vaccine against Aujeszky's disease (further uses)3 |
Vemie Veterinår Chemie GmbHC/D/92/I-1 |
18.07.94 |
|
5. |
Male sterile swede rape resistant to glufosinate ammonium (MS1, RF1)Uses: breeding activities |
Plant Genetic SystemsC/UK/94/M1/1 |
06.02.96 |
|
6. |
Soybeans tolerant to glyphosateUses: import and processing |
MonsantoC/UK/94/M3/1 |
03.04.96 |
|
7. |
Male sterile chicory tolerant to glufosinate ammoniumUses: breeding activities |
Bejo-Zaden BVC/NL/94/25 |
20.05.96 |
|
8. |
Bt-maize tolerant to glufosinate ammonium(Bt-176) |
Ciba-GeigyC/F/94/11-03 |
23.01.97 |
|
9. |
Male sterile swede rape tolerant to glufosinateammonium (MS1, RF1)4Uses: import and Processing |
Plant Genetic SystemsC/F/95/05/01/A |
06.06.97(not finally approved by F) |
|
10. |
Male sterile swede rape tolerant to glufosinate ammonium (MS1, RF2)5 |
Plant Genetic SystemsC/F/95/05/01/B |
06.06.97(not finally approved by F) |
|
11. |
Test kit to detect antibiotic residues in milk |
Valio OyC/F1/96-1NA |
14.07.97 |
|
12. |
Carnation lines with modified flower colour |
FlorigeneC/NL/96/14 |
01.12.97(MS consent) |
|
13. |
Swede rape tolerant to glufosinate ammonium (Topas 19/2)Uses: import and processing |
AgrEvoC/UK/95/M5/1 |
22.04.98 |
|
14. |
Maize tolerant to glufosinate ammonium (T25) |
AgrEvoC/F/95/12/07 |
22.04.98 |
|
15. |
Maize expressing the Bt cryIA(b) gene (MON 810) |
MonsantoC/F/95/12-02 |
22.04.98 |
|
16. |
Maize tolerant to glufosinate ammonium and expressing the Bt cryIA(b) gene (Bt-11)Uses: import and processing |
Novartis(formerly Northrup King)C/UK/96/M4/1 |
22.04.98 |
|
17. |
Carnation lines with improved vase life |
FlorigeneC/NL/97/12 |
20.10.98(MS consent) |
|
18. |
Carnation lines with modified flower colour |
FlorigeneC/NL/97/13 |
20.10.98(MS consent) |
1Where objections were raised by Member State authorities.
2In the absence of objections by Member State authorities.
3Linked to item 1 (same product, further uses).
4Linked to item 5 (same product, further uses).
5This product is the result of a different transformation event to that of No. 9.
|
Event |
Crop |
Applicant |
Trait |
Potential Food Uses |
Date |
Legal Basis |
|
|
1 |
GTS 40/3/2 |
Soybean |
Monsanto |
Insect protection and herbicide tolerance |
Soy foods. Soy foods include soy beverages, tofu, soy oil, soy flour, lecithin. |
03.04.1996 |
Dir. 90/220/EEC — Art. 13 |
|
2 |
Bt 176 |
Maize |
Ciba-Geigy |
Insect protection and herbicide tolerance |
Maize foods. Maize foods include kernels, oil, maize flour, sugar, syrup. |
23.01.1997 |
Dir. 90/220/EEC — Art. 13 |
|
3456 |
TOPAS 19/2MS1 / RF2MS1 / RF1GT 73 |
Oilseed rapeOilseed rapeOilseed rapeOilseed rape |
AgrEvoPlant Genetic SystemsPlant Genetic SystemsMonsanto |
Herbicide toleranceHerbicide toleranceHerbicide toleranceHerbicide tolerance |
Rapeseed oil. Products made with rapeseed oil may include fried foods, baked products and snack foods. |
24.06.199724.06.199724.06.199721.11.1997 |
Reg. (EC) 258/97 — Art. 5Reg. (EC) 258/97 — Art. 5Reg. (EC) 258/97 — Art. 5Reg. (EC) 258/97 — Art. 5 |
|
78910 |
MON 810T 25Bt 11MON 809 |
MaizeMaizeMaizeMaize |
MonsantoAgrEvoNovartisPioneer |
Insect protectionHerbicide toleranceInsect protectionInsect protection |
Maize derivatives. These may include maize oil, maize flour, sugar and syrup. Products made with maize derivatives may include snack foods, baked foods, fried foods, confectionery and soft drinks. |
06.02.199806.02.199806.02.199823.10.1998 |
Reg. (EC) 258/97 — Art. 5Reg. (EC) 258/97 — Art. 5Reg. (EC) 258/97 — Art. 5Reg. (EC) 258/97 — Art. 5 |
|
111213 |
Falcon GS 40/90Liberator L62MS8/RF3 |
Oilseed rapeOilseed rapeOilseed rape |
Hoechst / AgrEvoHoechst / AgrEvoPlant Genetic Systems |
Herbicide toleranceHerbicide toleranceHerbicide tolerance |
Rapeseed oil. Products made with rapeseed oil may include fried foods, baked foods and snack foods. |
08.11.199908.11.199926.04.2000 |
Reg. (EC) 258/97 — Art. 5Reg. (EC) 258/97 — Art. 5Reg. (EC) 258/97 — Art. 5 |
|
141516 |
1445531pRF69/pRF93 |
CottonCottonBacillus subtilis |
MonsantoMonsantoF. Hoffmann-La Roche |
Herbicide toleranceInsect protectionRiboflavin |
Cottonseed oil. Products made with cottonseed oil may include fried foods, baked foods and snack foods.ËVitamin B2. |
19.12.200219.12.200223.03.2000 |
Reg. (EC) 258/97 — Art. 5Reg. (EC) 258/97 — Art. 5Reg. (EC) 258/97 — Art. 5 |
