Vol. 486 No. 6
214 Ms Clune asked the Minister for Health and Children the studies, if any, that are being conducted in his Department on genetic engineering of foods; if so, who is co-ordinating these studies; whether they include experiments in genetic engineering; and the steps, if any, that are being taken to inform the public about the benefits or dangers, if these exist. [3388/98]
There are no studies being conducted in my Department on the genetic engineering of foods. My Department is responsible for the implementation in Ireland of EU Regulation 258/97 which provides that novel foods, including, inter alia, genetically engineered food, which have not hitherto been consumed to a significant degree in the community, must undergo a safety assessment before being placed on the market. To date, no applications have been received in Ireland under the regulation.
My Department is not responsible for research and development in the food industry which is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Agriculture and Food.
