Victor Boyhan (Independent)
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I will be concise and it is really more of a comment rather than a question. At the outset I understand the potential benefits of the NGTs and I think we all do. There are great possibilities but today we have a process in this committee and that is to analyse, scrutinise, seek some validation where possible and practical and to engage with the witnesses on this in a respectful manner and way.

Dr. O'Reilly presented a paper to this committee which I have read and I have the briefing document. I could only elicit a certain amount of information from all of that. It is all printed off and here in front of me. I have three points and I want to be very clear and have no misunderstanding. I am always conscious at this committee that we are not just listening to ourselves. People outside of this room are listening so this is for the record of our proceedings and it is important. I will take this opportunity, yet again, to appeal to people outside of this room so they are clear and there is no ambiguity about my position on this topic. It is not my intention to slow down this process at all. We can meet here next week and discuss all of this. I asked the question about the timelines and the witnesses did not come back to me but I note what they said about the process, the Parliament and the Commission and we are in an electoral cycle. It appears we do have some time but not to delay it. I am happy to come back in here next week if the committee decides to look at this topic again but that is a matter for the committee to decide.

The other thing is the witnesses references in the written statement today that the scientific opinion of the European Food Safety Authority, EFSA.

We do not have that scientific opinion before us. To be true to myself and true to my work in this committee, I want to see the evidence. I want to see these reports Dr. O'Reilly referred to in his report. I did not refer to them. Dr. O'Reilly is happy to confirm that he did not provide us with the European Food Safety Authority report that was referenced in his report. That is not a criticism of him but he will understand my line of questioning. I want to see that report because I am not happy to sign off on something which he has referenced but which was not circulated with any papers to this committee. That is one point I want to make.

The final point I want to make is on the public consultation. I went on the Department's website today and there was no detail of the submission. I checked again later this evening but Dr. O'Reilly confirmed, following my questioning, that there was no summary of the public consultation. Given that it was confirmed that 60 submissions were made to this public consultation, it is important for members who wish to consider the concerns have that opportunity. If we are to have an overall view, we need to see all sides.

I want to be clear that these are my simple and reasonable requests in a process of due diligence and consideration of these matters before us today. However, I want to be clearer in that I am not in the business of delaying this matter. However, I am making the request that I see both of those pieces of information before I make a fully informed decision. Both of those points were raised by Dr. O'Reilly in his submission, and not by me. Again, I thank him and his officials for their co-operation and engagement with us this evening.