Fine Gael National Press Office Press Release

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Govt's new GM policy needs to be fully evaluated - Naughten

Call for a Dáil Committee to deal with science and technology issues

"The decision by the Minister for Agriculture to do a u-turn on Government policy to date on the importation of genetically modified feed needs to be fully evaluated as it has the potential to badly damage the Irish agriculture sector," according to Deputy Denis Naughten, Fine Gael Spokesperson on Agriculture and Food.

"Fine Gael has continually called for a full debate on GM in agriculture but the Government up to now has persistently refused to engage in one. There is no getting way from the fact that these decisions have huge implications that need to be fully thought through and not developed on a political whim.

"In 2006, €144.6m worth of animal feed was imported into Ireland, of which 97% contained some genetically engineered material. The fact is that the vast majority of imported animal feed now used by Irish farmers has been genetically modified in some manner - we cannot pretend otherwise.

"Sadly one of the consequences of the Nitrates Directive, which penalises grass-based production systems as we have here in Ireland, is that there will be even greater demand for imported feed in the future.

"What is even more frustrating is that while farmers here may in the future be permitted only to use non-GM feed for their animals, the Government and the EU has no difficulty in allowing imported meat, fed on GM products to be mislabelled and sold as Irish.

"As long as this abuse of our labelling law continues, then there will be no competitive advantage for farmers to go down the GM free road, particularly not when importers can continue to sell meat which has been GM fed in the same markets.

"It is now time for a full debate on the whole GM issue and not off-the-cuff, knee-jerk policy which determines this issue in isolation from the broader and more practical factors which must be considered.

"I believe that the best way to facilitate such a debate is to establish a Dáil Committee on Science & Technology which would, as its first function, facilitate a fully informed debate on GM food, feed and crops and their use or not in this country. Only then should a definitive decision be taken.

"As the Taoiseach has not yet established the Dáil Committees, now is an ideal opportunity to have a specific forum not only to deal with the issue of GM but all other scientific developments which have an impact on society and our economy.

"Such a recommendation was made a number of years ago by an all party Oireachtas committee and a similar committee is in place in many other EU Countries including the UK.

"It is high time that we have a mechanism to bring facts on scientific developments into the public domain instead of half truths that are spun to the benefit of one side or another."