Mr. Donal Coleman:

Leaving aside microenterprises, the Chairman was concerned about potential difficulties for small-scale local producers - for example, in regard to small-scale production of local varieties of potato. From our perspective the control level will be minimal, and in no sense do we feel it would exceed the levels and requirements we have at the moment for the production of seed. While there would be some low-level controls, I hasten to add that our approach is very specifically two-pronged. First, it would be to give just enough information to protect the consumer at all times, so consumers would know what they were getting, which would strike a balance. Second, we want to ensure traceability in such a way that we, as the competent authority, are not heavily involved. There should be enough requirement for the grower to be able to show what they are producing, whether it is part of a chain and where the product came from, in the unlikely event of a health or phytosanitary problem. Those are the areas and that is the balance.