Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 15: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he expects any applications to cultivate the recently approved GM Amflora potato crop following its approval by the European Commission; the steps he will take in assessing such applications, if any were received, in the context of the Programme for Government and domestic and EU law; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11961/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I am committed to the establishment of a GM free zone in Ireland as set out in the Programme for Government. No GM food products are cultivated in Ireland and I do not anticipate that the genetically modified potato in question, known as Amflora, will be cultivated here.

This particular product was developed for branched starch production, for use mainly in non-food products, such as in the production of paper. It has recently been approved for cultivation in the European Union under the procedures set out in Directive 2001/18/EC on the Deliberate Release into the Environment of Genetically Modified Organisms and EU Regulation 1829/2003 on GM food and feed. The approval also extends to the use of by-products in animal feed and fertilisers.

In respect of GMOs, there is a community authorisation procedure in place, enabling the competent authority of each Member State to contribute to the process. This, however, also means that, when a product is approved, no geographical restrictions apply within the EU and no additional domestic approval is required. When this authorisation was announced in March 2010, the Commission also announced that it will bring a proposal to the Member States before the summer to allow more choice to Member States in deciding whether to cultivate GMOs in their respective territories. I welcome this initiative, which reflects the clear message conveyed by a number of Member States, including Ireland, that the current system is no longer sufficient and is at odds with the principle of subsidiarity.

In the case of this particular product, the authorisation procedure was ongoing for a number of years. The initial application was submitted to the Swedish competent authority, which carried out an assessment and circulated its findings to the competent authority of each Member State, in line with the requirements.

In the case of Ireland, the Environmental Protection Agency is the competent authority. During the Community-wide consultations on the product, the EPA raised no formal objection. Clarification was sought, however, as to where it was intended to cultivate the product. This information was subsequently supplied. It indicated that the target area for cultivation is Northern Europe and that it is not intended that the potato would be cultivated in Ireland due to the non-proximity of large-scale pulp paper processing facilities. I do not anticipate, therefore, that this product will be cultivated in Ireland.