Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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369. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will provide his Department's advice to Irish tillage farmers on the use of the glyphosates Roundup and Touchdown as pre-harvest sprays in view of the World Health Organisation's and the United Kingdom Soil Association's concerns of a possible carcinogenic impact on humans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28228/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Decisions on the authorisation of an active substance, such as glyphosate, are made at EU level. These EU decisions are derived on foot of advice from the European Food Safety Authority and the Member States. Subsequently, the Member states have competence to authorise individual products containing any EU-approved active substances.

One of the uses currently approved for Glyphosate containing products such as “Round Up” or “Touchdown Quattro” is that of a pre-harvest application facilitating both weed control and harvest management. There is no alternative active substance with similar scope, purpose and indeed, safety profile.

Regulation (EC) No 1107/2009 regulates the authorisation, marketing and use of plant protection products and as such each registration must conform to the norms, methodologies and principles contained therein. All uses of glyphosate approved in Ireland (including “Round Up” or “Touchdown Quattro”) are in line with approved uses in all other EU Member States and are only granted if the appropriate risk assessment indicates that safe uses are possible under normal conditions.

Glyphosate is currently registered in all EU Member States and is currently undergoing a scheduled re-review under the EU review programme, with Germany acting as the rapporteur. As part of this process the European Food Safety Authority co-ordinates the review and this includes a comprehensive peer review by all Member States. A conclusion of this peer review will be available in the coming months.