|
| • |
"An unelected body, the European Commission, has made an incredibly important decision that is unacceptable and illegal. We are sullying Ireland's reputation as a green environment and food producing country. Shame on the politicians and officials who supported it and shame on us for allowing it to happen. I call on Ireland to prohibit these products!"
– Michael Mulcahy TD (FF)
|
| • |
"All of us, from officials to public representatives, have failed to discuss the issue and it is regrettable that we are only doing so now."
– Senator Ann Ormonde (FF)
|
| • |
"A great opportunity exists to market Ireland as a GM-free zone. 70% of the EU do not want GM foods. We should encourage our Government to introduce a ban to keep this country free of them for the foreseeable future."
– Senator Don Lydon (FF)
|
| • |
"The introduction of GM foods by Monsanto and other companies would give rise to significant concerns in terms of the health of the population. I seek a GM-free Ireland."
– Mae Sexton TD (PD)
|
| • |
"I am totally opposed to the introduction of GM foods because of the serious health repercussions. Experts throughout Europe observe that supermarkets and food manufacturers are concerned at the introduction of GM foods because the public does not want them and there is no market for such products. Moreover, the warnings from experts and doctors dictate that such products should not be forced into our food chains. I hope the Government will oppose the introduction of GM foods at EU level."
– Senator James Bannon (FG)
|
| • |
"Ireland's reputation for clean, green food is an important marketing asset for Irish farm producers and the food industry. There is no benefit to be gained if this image is compromised."
– Mary Upton TD (Labour)
|
| • |
"Ireland's record in Europe is a disgrace on GMOs. We have either
abstained or we have voted for... At least the Austrian presidency [of the EU] is going in the direction of anti-GMO.
They are organizing a conference later this year. And certainly, I hope that that will raise people's
awareness. But the problem is: is it going to be too late for Ireland? Because what are we talking
about here? Potatoes that we don't need, that we don't want, and that we risk our future status of
remaining GMO-free.
There are varieties out there that are blight-resistant. We don't need this, we don't want this. BASF
wants this. This country doesn't need it and doesn't want it....
And to me as well, what we're looking at here is the ugly face of globalisation. Patenting life forms
should, in itself, be resisted...
We have members of the Seanad, we have members of
the Dáil here, and we have no influence on what happens here. I may have some influence on our vote in the European Parliament, but we have no influence on any of
this. So there is a democratic deficit because most Irish people do not want GMO foods.
And I will just finish by saying: it's not just this generation. We have a duty to the next generation
to make sure that we don't do anything that will impact negatively on their future. And I believe if
this decision is taken to grant the license by the EPA, that's exactly what we'll be doing."
– Marian Harkin MEP (Independent)
|
| • |
"We are committed to making Ireland a GM crop free zone. We must will not allow Ireland's clean and green image to be sold to the highest bidding multinational GM lobbyist..."
I've spoken to many farmers, many farmers in Co.
Meath indeed, and in my own constituency of North Co. Dublin, and they are deeply angry about
this particular prospect of GM potatoes being grown as a trial in Co. Meath. They see this as
nothing more than BASF coming to Ireland, effectively prostituting Ireland by using the name of
Ireland to do their trial and then sell their global product with no benefit for Ireland, no benefit for
Irish farmers, no benefit for Irish consumers.
And that has to be, for many people, the point of protest which has to finish with success. Because
this is a slippery slope, which if we allow it to happen now will create the precedent for the future.
And that means that we have to challenge the Government. The Minister for Agriculture in the D·il
told me that there were adequate safeguards, that it was watertight; that nothing could happen
that would do any harm to anybody. And I have to challenge the Minister, and we all should
challenge the Minister and the Government to say they do not have watertight regulations.
That report on ěco-existenceî is a draft. It has been found to use the same terms which failed in
Spain and other countries where GM has been grown. It is not watertight either in terms of
potatoes. You will not know if your potato crop has been contaminated until the second year after
harvest whey you go to grow seed again and discover the fatal result then.
So there's no way that this Government can give any guarantees about this trial. And BASF knows
that well. The only buffer zone that will be of any use in this country is the Irish Sea, and that
should be the one we insist on!
– Trevor Sargent TD (Green Party)
|
| • |
"The EC should heed the warning that GM products are unwanted in Ireland."
– Mary Lou McDonald MEP (SF)
|
| • |
"Ireland is the best possible GMO-free zone for the security of the other EU member states."
– Kathy Sinnot MEP (Independent)
|
| • |
"This is a burning
issue - it's perfectly clear from the number, the range and the diversity of people represented here
today. The first thing I want to say is: this [i.e. BASF] is a German company. There is plenty of
room in Germany. Why do they need to come to Ireland? Can't they do their bloody experiments
there?...
The
patenting of life forms is an obscenity. There was a farmer in Canada [i.e. Percy Schmeiser] going
along in his normal farming occupations. They established one of these experiments next to him. It
contaminated his crop. He was fined a hundred thousand. His entire crop was swiped. That is not
fair. We don't want that happening in Ireland!
Then there is the question of blight-resistant potatoes. David McConnell, my former colleague ‚
and I hope still a friend, although I disagree with him ‚ acknowledged that blight-resistant
potatoes can be produced, albeit sometimes in a slightly slower way, by traditional methods of
breeding. Let's not go in the fast lane: we know from our road accident rate in this country that the
fast lane can be bloody dangerous.
I have one final thing to say, and it's a serious point. I am going to be calling on the government ‚
and I know that Marian [Harkin] and Trevor [Sargent] and other people will also, I think, be
disturbed by this ‚ I learnt in just the last week that at the World Trade Organisation's recent
meeting in Hong Kong, among the Irish delegation ‚ which was used as a Trojan horse by
Monsanto ‚ there was a representative of Monsanto. I think that's disgraceful! Monsanto does not
represent the Irish people! And I call upon Bertie Ahern and the Government to explain what that
Monsanto representative was doing at the WTO trade discussions purporting to represent the Irish
people. They do not represent Ireland! And this particular person wasn't even resident in Ireland...
They were [at the WTO talks] at in Canc™n as well! How much to the Irish people know about being represented by
Monsanto with the connivance of the Irish government? I call upon Bertie Ahern and the Irish
Government to explain how Monsanto is part of our delegation to the World Trade Organisation!"
– Senator David Norris (independent)
|
|
 |
|
