Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 1446: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of occasions Ireland has invoked Article 23 of Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms; Ireland's position on each of the invocations of this clause by other Member States to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40340/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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To date, Ireland has not invoked Article 23 of Directive 2001/18/EC. At the Environment Council on 24 June 2005, the European Commission tabled proposals to overturn invocations under this article by other member states in respect of a number of genetically modified products. Ireland voted against the Commission's proposals.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 1448: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of occasions Ireland has formally moved to have the Commission consult the scientific committees as provided for in Article 28 of Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms on any matter under this directive that may have an adverse effect on human health and the environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40346/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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To date, my Department has not requested the European Commission to consult the relevant scientific committee under the provisions of Article 28 of Directive 2001/18/EC. However, before a proposal on the placing on the market of a product in accordance with Directive 2001/18/EC comes to the regulatory committee for consideration, the European Commission, as a matter of course, consults the European Food Safety Authority regarding the product concerned. The authority's advice is available to all EU member states in advance of that meeting.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 1449: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government further to the fact that on 20 December 2004, the Environment Council of the European Union failed to take a decision on the European Commission's proposal for a Council decision authorising the placing on the market of an oilseed rape product genetically modified for tolerance to the herbicide glyphosate, that there was no qualified majority either to accept or to reject the Commission's proposal, that as a result, the Commission adopted the proposal, on 31 August 2005, as required by Article 5(6) of Council Decision 1999/468/EC laying down procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission; the reason Ireland abstained on this matter at 20 December 2004 Council; the position taken by Ireland on all other Commission proposals to authorise the placing of genetically modified organisms on the market issued under Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms, both in Council and in the regulatory committee provided for in Article 5 of Council Decision 1999/468/EC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40347/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland was among a number of member states that abstained on the proposal to place on the market an oilseed rape product at the meeting of the regulatory committee for the purposes of Directive 2001/18/EC on 16 June 2004. At that meeting, our abstention had regard to the long-standing positive but precautionary approach to modern biotechnology endorsed by successive Governments; the favourable opinion available on the product from the Environmental Protection Agency as Irish competent authority for the purposes of the directive, following the agency's consultations with other relevant State agencies; and consideration of the issues within my Department.

At the Environment Council of 20 December 2004, Ireland was again among a number of member states that abstained on the proposal. Our abstention on that occasion again had regard to the long-standing positive but precautionary approach to modern biotechnology endorsed by successive Governments; the favourable opinion available to me on the product from the Environmental Protection Agency as Irish competent authority for the purposes of the directive, following the agency's consultations with other relevant State agencies; and the previous consideration of the issues within my Department. It also had regard to the views of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Environment and Local Government and the outcome of the earlier discussion of, and vote on, the product at the June meeting of the regulatory committee. The Irish voting position on other proposals brought forward to authorise the placing of genetically modified organisms on the market under Directive 2001/18/EC is set out in the following table.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 1450: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government further to Directive 2001/18/EC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms provides for the Commission to be assisted by a regulatory committee made up of representatives of the member states and that Article 30(2) of the directive provides that, having regard to Article 8, Articles 5 and 7 of Council Decision 1999/468/EC laying down the procedures for the exercise of implementing powers conferred on the Commission and that Article 5(6) of Council Decision 1999/468/EC provides that in the event of no decision being taken by the Council on a Commission proposal to authorise the placing of a genetically modified product on the market, the proposed measure which will be adopted by the Commission; his views on whether the provisions of Directive 2001/18/EC and Council Decision 1999/468/EC should be revised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40348/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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There is a requirement on the European Commission to report this year to the Council and the European Parliament on the implementation and operation of the various strands of the EU-wide legislative framework relating to genetically modified organisms. I expect that the question of whether procedural changes are warranted will be addressed in that report and considered further by the Environment Council when it is presented to us.