Shane McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

I have not had any meetings or discussions with any company wishing to engage in the cultivation or growing of GM crops in Ireland.

I appreciate this question may have been prompted by the proposal by Teagasc to trial a genetically modified blight-resistant potato on its own land in Carlow. Teagasc submitted an application to the Environmental Protection Agency seeking authorisation to carry out a field study on genetically modified potatoes resistant to late blight. This trial is part of a publicly-funded EU research project being carried out by a consortium of 22 partners representing 15 European Union member states. The main objective of the Teagasc field trial is to assess the impact of cultivation of the blight-resistant potato on the Irish ecosystem, that is, bacterial, fungal, nematode and earthworm diversity in the soil, compared with that of conventional potatoes.

The Deputy will be aware that I have advised in previous parliamentary questions that the Teagasc application currently is being considered by the board of the Environmental Protection Agency and that Government responsibility for the cultivation of GM crops rests with my colleague, the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan. I understand the EPA will decide on this application towards the end of this month.

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