Mary Ann O'Brien (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Commissioner and congratulate him. I thank him so much for attending today. We will see him later this afternoon at the meeting of the agriculture committee. I do not have a speech prepared but have a few thoughts and questions I want to share with the Commissioner. The upcoming TTIP trade agreement with the United States is in its early stages, but it looks to be completed by the end of the year. We had a good session earlier with the Minister, Deputy Bruton, but I would like to hear from the Commissioner - from the horse's mouth, as it were. The agreement provides a few worries for Ireland and the EU, but it also provides huge opportunities.

I also want to ask the Commissioner about GMOs and what is happening in his office about them. If that agreement goes forward and food is imported into Ireland from the United States, it should be noted that 80% of American foodstuffs contain GMOs. Do we want our youth and other citizens eating GMOs?