Shane McEntee (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food her position on the deliberate release of genetically modified crops; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23643/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The 'Report of the Interdepartmental Group on Modern Biotechnology' published by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment in October 2000 established the Irish Government's positive but precautionary position on biotechnology. This position was based on the potential that biotechnology offers in the fields of medicine, health, agriculture, etc., while at the same time recognising that caution must be exercised to ensure that food safety and the environment are protected.

EU Directive 2001/18/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms lays down a binding, Community-wide, framework for regulating the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms into the environment, including for the purposes of field trials and cultivation. Taking into account the precautionary principle, it seeks to ensure that high levels of protection are afforded to the environment and human health and requires, inter alia, the carrying out of a comprehensive environmental risk assessment, as part of the notification process, and post release monitoring. Any environmental risk to plants in the vicinity of the cultivation of genetically modified crops is considered in the foregoing context.

While responsibility for decisions on proposals for field trials rests with the EPA, responsibility for the establishment of measures to ensure the effective and efficient coexistence of authorised GM crops alongside non GM crops rests with my Department.