Bernard Allen (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 44: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the plans she has to review the legislation covering the importation and sale of agri-chemicals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17301/05]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I have recently introduced the European Communities (Authorisation, Placing on the Market, Use and Control of Plant Protection Products) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2005, S.I. No. 224 of 2005. Those regulations were introduced following a review of the existing legislation and served to streamline arrangements for the authorisation of plant protection products for minor uses. I expect, on the basis of an ongoing review being carried out in my Department of arrangements for regulating the distribution and use of plant protection products, that additional amending legislation will be introduced before the end of 2005 to further strengthen the regulatory system.

Officials of my Department take an active part in the ongoing review of EU legislation on the authorisation, distribution and use of plant protection products in the context of the updating of the existing regime and the development of the Commission's thematic strategy on sustainable use of plant protection products.