Vol. 537 No. 1
99 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development the agricultural chemicals, antibiotics and pesticides, previously permitted for use by his Department which are now banned; when they were banned; and if traces of these chemicals are likely to still persist in quantities that could be damaging, either in the bodies of those who consumed food where such products were used or otherwise. [15469/01]
The statutory regulation of agricultural chemical and pesticides began in Ireland in 1985. Since then a number of compounds, particularly a number of organochlorine pesticides, have been banned in Ireland mainly because of their persistence properties. The list of pesticides which are banned in Ireland are listed at page 147 of pesticides 2001 which is published by my Department. A number of these compounds were banned in 1981 on the basis of EU Directive 79/117.
Many of these chemicals are persistent organochlorine pesticides and as such can remain intact in the environment for a considerable number of years. It is still possible to find residues of DDT, Dieldrin, HCH and others in food but the residues detected are usually at or close to the limit of detection and are continuing to decline with time. When residues are found it is possible to estimate the risk to the consumer by comparing the dietary intake with existing acceptable daily intake, where available. The presence of trace levels of these compounds in food is not considered to be a risk to the consumer. The list of these compounds which are analysed in samples of food are indicated in my Department's publication of Pesticides Residues in Food and the residues detected are also included in the report.
Since 1999 five antibiotic feed additives have been prohibited for use in animal feedingstuffs throughout the EU. It is highly unlikely that any residues of their use persist in either food or consumers since these antibiotics have been banned for over two years. The five antibiotics are Avoparcin, Bacitracin zinc, Spiramycin, Virginiamycin and Tylosin phosphate.
