Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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Question 5: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the value of the potato seed industry here, including separately domestic sales and export sales; if her Department has carried out a study to assess the impact of the proposed genetically modified potato trial on consumer confidence in view of the fact that cross-contamination with genetically modified pollen would not be detected until after an affected non-genetically modified potato crop has been put on the market; and her views on the BASF plan to test genetically modified potatoes in County Meath. [6240/06]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The value of the seed potato industry in 2005 is estimated at €5.8 million and the value of sales of certified seed potatoes on the domestic market in 2005 is estimated at €2.8 million, with exports valued at €170,000.

The notification by BASF to trial genetically modified potatoes was made to the Environmental Protection Agency in accordance with Part B of EU Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release of GMOs into the environment, as transposed into Irish legislation by the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Release) Regulations 2003.

While the Department is responsible for developing coexistence arrangements between authorised GM and non-GM crops, it has no role with regard to experimental trials such as the one applied for in County Meath. This is a matter solely for the EPA. Since procedures under legislation are in play it would be inappropriate to comment on this particular application.

There is consumer concern about GMOs. It was for that reason that a series of legislative measures has been adopted by the EU over the past few years to ensure the highest possible standards of food safety are in place and that the environment is fully protected. These legislative measures have been adopted by the co-decision procedure involving the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. Furthermore, the European Food Safety Authority, which was established in 2002, provides independent scientific risk assessment on all GMO applications which should help further to allay consumer concerns.

The legislative measures which the Department is responsible for relate to the placing on the market of authorised feed and the cultivation of GM crops. With regard to the latter, I am in the process of drawing up coexistence measures between GM and non-GM crops in Ireland. I have a report produced by an interdepartmental working group which sets out a strategy and best practices for coexistence arrangements here. I have sought submissions from the public on the report to assist me in drawing up statutory based coexistence controls here in due course.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

In the evaluation of potential GM crops in Ireland, the report identifies the potato as a crop that presents a low risk of gene flow that cannot outcross with any other Irish crop or wild relatives here in Ireland. The report states that the potential for the adventitious presence of non-GM potatoes could only arise if significant numbers of tubers remained in the ground post-harvest which, if not properly managed, could lead to their presence in subsequent crops.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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I congratulate the Minister of State, Deputy Mary Wallace, on her appointment. Given that her constituency is in County Meath, she will start with this hot potato and will not be allowed to drop it, judging by the reaction to the issue I have seen.

Will the Minister of State, Deputy Brendan Smith, acknowledge that the trials of GM potato will not have any economic benefit for Irish farmers or consumers? These trials are wholly for the benefit of the company which wants to advertise worldwide that it grew a crop in a country prone to blight. Will the Minister of State acknowledge that the unpopularity of GM products in third countries, which we rely on for markets, particularly in Irish seed potatoes, will be jeopardised by these trials and Scottish seed potatoes will benefit from Ireland's loss, just as Ireland will benefit from Denmark's loss as a result of the cartoon controversy?

What measures will the Department take to compensate for the damage these trials, which are entirely in BASF's interest but are of no benefit to Irish farmers or consumers, will cause in terms of the marketability of Irish seed potatoes? Almost 80% of our potato market is based on roosters, Kerr's pinks and Rush queens. Irish people buy varieties of potatoes and they certainly do not want to buy GM potatoes.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Sargent is trying to pre-empt the processing of the application by the Environmental Protection Agency. We have a strong working relationship with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in Scotland. I spent part of St. Patrick's Day 2005 discussing this issue with the Scottish Minister. We have a good relationship and we both want to ensure we protect our plant health status as a high grade seed area. The Environmental Protection Agency will assess this application based on the stringent procedures already in place that transpose the directive under the statutory instrument of 2003.

We have a national policy on GM technology. Policy statements were issued in October 1999 and October 2000. All of this comes from the co-decision making process of the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers, where legislative measures binding on all member states were put in place with the relevant safeguards. That EU-wide regulatory framework applies to genetically modified organisms and we have the most stringent safeguards in the world on GMOs. These are aimed at achieving a high degree of human health and environmental protection while safeguarding consumer choice and ensuring WTO compatibility.

The subsidiarity principle is exercised in matters of coexistence and, as I stated in my reply, the Minister has established an interdepartmental working group and a report has been published. We are seeking submissions from interested groups and individuals and the closing date for submissions has been extended from January to March of this year. Members of this House have already made a submission. The Minister will then set in place the coexistence regulations.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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The Minister of State said that stringent measures are already in place but he also said that we still have a draft proceeding so nothing has been finalised.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The European Union regulations have not been finalised.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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The coexistence draft regulation has not been finalised and taking Spain as an example, coexistence has resulted in contamination. We have much windier conditions that Spain so we must do more thinking on this before we sign off on those coexistence plans. They are not foolproof.

Will the Minister of State do anything to safeguard the marketability of Irish seed potatoes in the likely event of contamination? The contamination will not be detected until after a crop has been harvested because of the time it takes to manifest itself in the next generation of seed potatoes. The Minister of State cannot offer safeguards unless he takes steps to prevent Ireland going down the GM road, particularly given that it will also jeopardise other farmers.

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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The protection of our clean, green image is of the utmost importance to the agri-food industry and every step will be taken to ensure food safety and the environment will not be compromised.

Trevor Sargent (Dublin North, Green Party)
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We abstained on the measure on Bt maize — they are already compromised.