8 March 2006

Environment

GM-Free Zones

Ciarán Cuffe asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his views on the motions on non-genetically modified produce passed by county councils and town councils.

Minister for Environment, Heritage and Local Government (Mr. Roche):
The Government favours a positive but precautionary approach to applications of modern biotechnology. This is based on the work of the interdepartmental group on modern biotechnology whose report in October 2000 was endorsed by the Government. The report concluded that we should acknowledge the potential benefits of genetic engineering while maintaining a fundamental commitment to safety and environmental sustainability, based on scientific risk assessment and management.

I understand the motions in question advocate GM-free status for the areas concerned. Taking account of the EU regulatory framework in respect of genetically modified organisms, I am not aware of any basis on which a region might implement a blanket ban on the cultivation of approved GM varieties and-or the sale or use of approved GM ingredients in foods or animal feeds, other than by voluntary agreements between all farmers and consumers in that region.