Dr. Thomas McLoughlin:

It did not pertain to Ireland. Only one crop has been approved for use in the European Union, which is the maize crop that is tolerant to the European corn borer and that would not pertain to Irish agriculture because we do not have that. I would imagine there are some sort of technologies that farmers might have to pay for but I suggest the Deputy addresses his question to Department officials when they come in. I am not very au faitwith the matter but I think there are some royalties or whatever. Let us remember that in Ireland, the Teagasc potato breeding programme has been very successful over the last 70 or 80 years and it gets royalties from some of its technologies. One can see that happens with company State bodies as well.