Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 533: To ask the Minister for Agriculture and Food the position of Ireland in relation to the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity; the meetings which have taken place in the context of securing Irish support and acceptance of the terminator technology and patent in relation to genetically modified seeds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35606/06]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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Ireland's obligations under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity are a matter in the first instance for the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. I understand that the eighth Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in March 2006 reaffirmed a previous decision that in the absence of reliable data on genetic use restriction technologies, products incorporating such technologies should not be approved by Parties for field testing. My Department has no role in the issuing of patents.