Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 101: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food his views on the proposals to revise pesticide authorisation laws; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25556/08]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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I supported most of the provisions contained in the draft EU Regulation. However there were a number of aspects of the Regulation that give rise to very significant concern on my part.

I am particularly concerned that the use of 'hazard-based cut-off criteria', as a basis for the approval of substances, ignores the scientific principle of risk assessment. Of course it is important that the use of substances in plant protection products should be appropriately controlled. Some substances, which may fail to meet the cut-off criteria, are crucial to crop protection in Ireland. Their withdrawal may cause significant agronomic and economic damage without securing any significant reduction in human or environmental exposures to these types of substances.

I am also concerned about the absence of a detailed, up-to-date impact assessment on the effects of the current text on the competitiveness and sustainability of Irish and European agriculture. For these reasons, and despite supporting most of the provisions contained in the draft Regulation, I abstained from a vote on the Regulation at Council and provided a statement for the minutes to this effect.