Kathleen Lynch (Cork North Central, Labour)
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Question 47: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his policy on the growth of genetically modified foods here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22237/10]

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 currently cultivated in Ireland. In respect of the cultivation and sale of GM products, there is a community authorisation procedure in place, enabling the competent authority of each Member State to contribute to the decision-making process. In Ireland, the Environmental Protection Agency is the competent authority. This authorisation procedure, however, also means that, when a product is approved, no geographical restrictions apply within the EU and no additional domestic approval is required.

The European Commission recently announced that it will bring forward a proposal to allow more choice to individual Member States in deciding whether or not 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.