Vol. 473 No. 1
351 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the reason his Department sanctioned the use of toxic organochloine herbicides, such a 2-4-d and mecoprop by public authorities; and his views on whether it would be safer and more ecologically appropriate to control weeds in grass by simple mowing and by employing more staff to control flowerbed weeds by hoeing. [24690/96]
The management, including husbandry practices, of public parks is the responsibility of the individual authorities under whose aegis these parks operate.
Before being placed on the market, plant protection products-pesticides are authorised or cleared for placing on the market after valuation of dossiers submitted by the applicant, having regard to potential risks to man, animals and the environment including drinking water, in accordance with the statutory regulations implementing the European Union Directives on plant protection products. In the case of plant protection products introduced to the market after 1 October 1994 their effectiveness and safety to crops is also evaluated as part of the authorisation process.
The use of plant protection products for purposes other than those provided for on the labels, the detail of which must be approved by the Department's pesticide control service, is an offence. Formulations containing the active susbstances 2-4-d and mecoprop are currently approved for use in Ireland. However, the active substances 2.4.d and mecoprop are currently being reviewed in the first stage of the Community wide review of active substances for inclusion in the annex to be harmonised Community Directive 91-414-EC on the approval of plant protection products.
