Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 1 December 2010
87 Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his views on the proposals to allow up to 0.1% of unapproved genetically modified material in imports of animal feed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45194/10]
View answerGiven the importance to Ireland of uninterrupted trade in imports of soya and maize by- products for use as animal feed I indicated, in November 2009, to Commissioner Vassiliou of DG Sanco that Ireland would support the Commission in its efforts to bring forward a technical solution to the concerns being expressed by the trade that low traces of unauthorised GM events could adventitiously admix with imported consignments of soya and maize by products, resulting in impoundment of consignments.
I am pleased to see that the Commission has now come forward with proposals to address this situation by proposing to allow a tolerance of 0.1% in cases where traces of, as yet, unauthorised GM events are detected. This level is regarded as the lowest threshold where results are satisfactorily reproducible under appropriate sampling and analysis methods. The proposal applies to GM material for which a valid application has been submitted to the EU Commission and for which the authorisation procedure is pending. It will also apply to certain authorised GM events, which are no longer marketed and are now regarded as obsolete. My Department will positively contribute to the evolution of this proposal at Standing Committee and Council discussions.
