Vol. 286 No. 2
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he considers that the persistent use of organochlorinated diocides, DDT, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, chlordane, heptachlor and heptachlor-epoxice should be phased out as agrochemicals in this country in the near future in view of the fact that safer alternative products already exist.
133.
asked the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries if he will impose strict control on a chemical preparation called mirex which may endanger species and the environment in general.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 133 together.
For many years past it has been the policy of my Department to discourage the use of organo-chlorinated pesticides generally in agriculture where suitable alternatives exist. As a result their use has been progressively declining. There are, however, some limited uses for which no satisfactory substitutes have yet been found but as there is no experimental or medical evidence that the handling or usage of such pesticides is injurious to man, it is considered that until suitable replacements are discovered the benefits of their limited use in agriculture exceed the somewhat remote risks involved.
So far as my Department are aware mirex is not used in this country.
