Mr. Pat Smith:

That is a debate in itself. The IFA does not have a position on GM. We do not grow any GM crops at present but a wider debate is needed on whether we should permit ourselves to become 30% to 50% less competitive than the rest of the world. A strong environmental argument can be made for considering the technology. In light of the negative connotations, perhaps we should stop describing the technology as GM and consider it instead in the more general context of biotechnology.

In regard to the question on set-aside, we do not have much set-aside in Europe anymore. We should be proud of our biodiversity in Ireland. Farmers have made a big commitment to ensure a productive agriculture sector while at the same time protecting biodiversity. I have found when travelling around the country that farmers have a big interest in this.