Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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60. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if, given the detrimental health effects, there are plans to ban glyphosate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25108/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Pesticide active substances, such as glyphosate, contained in plant protection products are approved centrally at EU level and plant protection products are subsequently authorised for specific uses nationally using robust scientific evaluation and decision-making criteria.

The current approval for glyphosate will expire in December 2023. The EU process to consider whether or not to renew the approval is ongoing. This process involves a comprehensive evaluation of all relevant scientific data and a rigorous peer review process led by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA).

The ECHA completed its scientific assessment during 2022 and reported that the available scientific evidence does not meet the criteria to classify glyphosate as a carcinogenic substance. This conclusion was based on a highly detailed review of a wide range of scientific evidence, including extensive input from a public consultation. The EFSA is expected to complete its scientific assessment, covering human health and environmental aspects, by the end of July 2023.

Following the completion of the EU evaluation and peer review process, the European Commission will draft a proposal for voting on at the EU Standing Committee dealing with pesticides legislation.

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine will finalise its position on glyphosate at that stage taking into account the EFSA’s and the ECHA’s scientific opinions and conclusions, as it does for all pesticide substances.

Glyphosate has a role to play in Irish agriculture and we will continue to monitor the situation closely.