Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 151: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to revert to the Ireland's previous stance in the EU on GM crops and foods. [5847/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The responsibility for GMOs is spread across a number of Government Departments. My Department has responsibility for policy matters in relation to the deliberate release of GMOs into the environment and the contained use of GMOs. The Department of Health and Children has responsibility for policy matters concerning genetically modified food and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is responsible for regulating seed of certain species for marketing and cultivation; regulating animal feed that contains or is derived from authorised GM crops; developing a national strategy to ensure the co-existence of authorised GM crops with other crops; and authorisation and control of marketing of pesticides for use on crops, including GM crops.

National legislation in this area takes account of the common EU framework for assessment and control of GMOs, by which Ireland, in common with all Member States, is bound. National policy on GMOs merits careful consideration and requires input from the three Departments, a number of state bodies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, Teagasc and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland, as well as other stakeholders. Working with my Ministerial colleagues, account will also be taken of the Programme for Government commitments in relation to enhancing the potential of the Irish agri-food sector globally and the potential for an eco brand.