John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I reassure Deputies that the viability of animal production in Ireland does not rest solely on the speed with which the European Food Safety Authority, EFSA, assesses applications from biotechnology companies to place on the EU market feed materials derived from genetically modified crops. We are fortunate to have so much animal feed coming from our green fields. Over 80% of ruminant livestock feed intake comes from grass based inputs. Compound feeds make up the remainder of ruminant feed, as well as all of the nutritional diets for pig and poultry.

Because Ireland has a deficit in protein feed ingredients we must import about 80,000 tonnes of maize by-products and 500,000 tonnes of soya. This is less than 5% of the total feed intake by farmed animals in Ireland. The majority of these imported protein ingredients come from authorised GM crops grown in the United States and South America which have been subjected to the stringent assessment process required by EU legislation. The EFSA is a central player in that authorisation process. Prior to 2007, the authorisation process and the EFSA's role in that process had little negative impact on the availability of animal feed, as there were adequate supplies available from non-GM or authorised GM crops. It was only in the last 12 months and in the light of increased global demand for feed and biofuel, allied to poor weather conditions, that the lack of synchronisation between the GM authorisation process in the European Union and the United States became a factor in feed supply.

I am confident that the recent relaxation of the setaside rules by the EU Council of Ministers which was fully supported by my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Coughlan, should lead to improved market conditions for cereal growers. I hope we will have more favourable weather conditions for cereal growing in 2008.

There is no doubt that the lack of synchronisation in the GM authorisation processes used in the United States and the European Union has presented problems for feed importers in Ireland. Notwithstanding this, we all accept that the rules governing the marketing and use of GM crops for animal feed within the Community are set down in EU legislation that has been adopted jointly by the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. This legislation which is binding on all member states dictates that only GM events subjected to the necessary health and environmental safety assessment by the EFSA and authorised under the relevant legislation can be placed on the market within the European Union. This legislation was introduced in response to the concerns expressed by EU consumers about the safety of GM produce. The new legislation which is considered to be among the most stringent in the world governs the assessment and approval procedures for GM crops, food and feed. It also ensures the highest possible standards are in place to protect the citizens of the Community from a food safety and environmental safety aspect.

In addition to this legislation, the Community also established the EFSA. This authority, an independent science based body made up of specialists from a range of relevant disciplines, provides EU citizens with independent assessment, advice and communication of any risk associated with GM produce or food safety matter.

The speed with which the European Union authorises GM products will be an issue because US agriculture sees new GM crops being cultivated each year. It is obvious that delays caused by the necessary assessment process carried out by the EFSA can contribute significantly to this lack of synchronisation which, in turn, is a contributory factor to the difficulties in securing feed supplies at reasonably economic prices. It should be acknowledged, however, that some of the delays accredited to the EFSA are as a result of the absence and subsequent procurement of data from the applicant for which the applicant can only be held responsible. A tighter timeframe between the two authorisation processes would significantly reduce the possibility of unauthorised GM events admixing in consignments, particularly maize by-products, being exported to Europe and would also allow European pig producers to source whole GM maize as a substitute for costly wheat.

The Minister has welcomed recent statements from the EFSA indicating it recognises that a problem has arisen and that it is engaging with the US authorities to identify ways of minimising the time lag between both processes, as the Deputy has sought. The Minister fully supports any development that will lead to a more effective, efficient and speedier EU GM authorisation process and will do what she can to push that synchronisation process along at EU level. We will also seek ways in which there will be less reliance on imported feed. In this regard it should be noted that the current high cereal prices will have the effect of encouraging increased local production both here and throughout the rest of the European Union generally.

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