Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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493. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his policy position on the use of genetic modification to prevent diseases in crops and in animals; if any research work is being carried out by his Department or agencies in the remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28776/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Environment, Climate and Communications, (supported by the Environmental Protection Agency) is responsible for the authorisation of Genetically Modified (GM) crops for cultivation. In 2018, the Government approved the transposition of Directive 2015/412 which enabled Ireland to opt out of cultivation of GM crops approved for cultivation elsewhere in the EU. There are no approved GM crops cultivated in Ireland.

New Genomic Techniques (NGTs), or gene editing techniques, are relatively new technologies, and have the potential to address current challenges in the agri-food system such as food security, climate change and biodiversity reduction and can deliver benefits to farmers, consumers and the environment.

Plants obtained by NGT’s are different to traditional Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) in that they do not introduce genetic material from non-crossable species. Teagasc are currently conducting research on NGTs and their potential for developing new crop varieties with a lower requirement for the use of plant protection products.

The EU Commission adopted a proposed regulation on NGTs on 5th July 2023. Among the main objectives of the proposal are to maintain a high level of human and animal health and the environment and to enable the development and placing on the market of plants and plant products contributing to EU innovation and sustainability objectives.

My Department is responsible for negotiating Ireland's position on this new regulatory proposal. Our position is one of support which has been informed by a number of factors including the outcome of a public consultation which showed strong support for the proposal, the scientific opinion from EFSA that NGTs plants are as safe as conventionally bred plants and the synergies of the proposal with wider policies to improve the sustainability and environmental credentials of agriculture sector.

Member States representatives endorsed the Council's negotiating mandate on the proposed regulation on 14th March. Negotiations on the proposed regulation are now in the trilogue phase.