GM-FREE IRELAND



VOTER'S GUIDE FOR THE 2007 GENERAL ELECTION

GM-free Ireland wrote to every TD (but not other candidates) running in the 2007 General Election, before the 2006 Christmas holidays, requesting them to confirm in writing by 31 January their commitment to introduce legislation to prohibit the release of GM seeds and crops, and support the call to declare Ireland a GMO-free zone. You can download the letter as 128kb pdf file. Each letter included The Future of Food DVD and the book Patenting Life? Stop! by Fr. Seán McDonagh.

Only 8 TDs took the trouble to reply. This dismal response makes it clear that the vast majority of our politicians remain uninformed and don't give a damn about the GMO invasion.

Party policies:

Fianna Fáil is overtly pro-GM (having violated its 1997 pre-election pledge never to allow GM food and farming). The only exception is Michael Mulcahy, TD, running for Dublin South Central.

The PDs are strongly in favour of GM food and farming, except for Mae Sexton, TD, running for Longford Westmeath.

Fine Gael is totally confused, with Enda Kenny saying nothing can be done to stop the GMO invasion, Mairead McGuinness (Louth) promoting GM pharmaceutical crops in the EU Parliament, and Brody Sweeney (Dublin North East) calling for a Green Ireland GM-free food and farming policy.

The Labour party has a weak policy to keep Ireland GM-free "subject to EU law" (i.e. no total ban allowed).

Only Green party, Sinn Féin and some Labour and independent candidates have clear GM free policies, apart from the mainstream party exceptions mentioned above.

List of election candidates:

Here is the list of all the election candidates (including current TDs) with their party's position on the issue, along with their personal position, if known.

Please vote for "GM-free" candidates on 24 May!

Constituency

Name

Party

Party position

Personal position



















Carlow Kilkenny

Bobby Aylward

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Fergal Browne

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Philip Hogan, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

John McGuinness, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

M.J. Nolan, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Michael O'Brien

Labour

GM-free


John Paul Phelan

Fine Gael

pro GMO


James Townsend

Labour

GM-free


Mary White

Green Party

GM-free


Cavan-Monaghan

Paudge Connoly, TD

Independent

none

no answer

Seymour Crawford, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Des Cullen

Labour

GM-free


Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin, TD

Sinn Féin

GM-free

no answer

Rory O'Hanlon, TD

Independent

none

no answer

Joe O'Reilly

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Brendan Smith, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Clare

James Breen, TD

Independent

none

no answer

Pat Breen, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Joseph Carey

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Brendan Daly

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Timmy Doolan

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Pascal Fitzgerald

Labour

GM-free


Tony Killeen, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Brian Meaney

Green Party

GM-free

GM-free

Tony Mulcahy

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Madeleine Taylor-Quinn

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Cork East

Michael Ahern, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Paul Bradford

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Sarah Ironmonger

Green Party

GM-free


John Mulvihill Sr.

Labour

GM-free


Ned O'Keefe, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

David Stanton, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Seán Sherlock

Labour

GM-free


Cork North Central

Bernard Allen, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Billy Kelleher, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Gerry Kelly

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Kathleen Lynch, TD

Labour

GM-free

no answer

Noel O'Flynn, TD

Fianna Fáil

GM-free

no answer

Chris O'Leary

Green Party

GM-free


Cork North West

Martin Coughlan

Labour

GM-free


Michael Creed

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Donal Moynihan,TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Michael Moynihan, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Gerard Murphy, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Denis O'Donovan

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Batt O'Keefe, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Cork South Central

Dan Boyle, TD

Green Party

GM-free

GM-free

Jerry Buttimer, Jr

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Deirdre Clune

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Simon Coveney, TD, MEP

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

John Dennehy, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Ciaran Lynch

Labour

GM-free


Micheál Martin, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Michael McGrath

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Cork South West

Senator Michael McCarthy

Labour

GM-free


Jim O'Keefe, TD, MEP

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

P.J. Sheehan

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Donegal North East

Niall Blaney, TD

Independent

none

no answer

Lucinda Creighton

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Terence Flanagan

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Cecilia Keaveney, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Senator Joe McHugh

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Siobhan McLaughlin

Labour

GM-free


Donegal South West

Min. Mary Coughlan, TD

Fianna Fáil

anti GM-free

no answer

Pat the Cope Gallagher, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Dinny McGinley, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Seamus Rogers

Labour

GM-free


Terence Slowey

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Dublin Central

Bertie Ahern, TD

Fianna Fáil

anti GM-free

no answer

Senator Cyprian Brady

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Joe Costello, TD

Labour

GM-free

no answer

Paschal Donohue

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Mary Fitzpatrick

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Tony Gregory, TD

Independent

none

no answer

Patricia McKenna

Green Party

GM-free

GM-free

Dublin Mid-West

John Curran, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Frances Fitzgerald

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Paul Gogarty, TD

Green Party

GM-free

no answer

Mary Harney, TD

Fianna Fáil

anti GM-free

no answer

Luke Moriarty

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Joanna Tuffy, TD

Labour

GM-free

no answer

Dublin North

Michael Kennedy

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Darragh O'Brien

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


John O'Leary

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Dr. James Reilly

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Brendan Ryan

Labour

GM-free


Trevor Sargent, TD

Green Party

GM-free

GM-free

Dublin North Central

Richard Bruton, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Senator Ivor Callely,TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Seán Haughey, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Derek McDowell, TD

Labour

GM-free

no answer

Finian McGrath, TD

Independent

none

no answer

Dublin North East

Tommy Broughan, TD

Labour

GM-free

no answer

David Healey

Green Party

GM-free

no answer

James McDaid, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Brody Sweeney

Fine Gael

pro GMO

GM-free

Dublin South

Seamus Brennan, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Maria Corrigan

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Aidan Culhane

Labour

GM-free


Tom Kitt, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Olivia Mitchell

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Liz O'Donnell, TD

PD

pro GMO

no answer

Jim O'Leary

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Eamon Ryan, TD

Green Party

GM-free

no answer

Alan Shatter

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Alex White

Labour

GM-free


Dublin South Central

Seán Ardagh, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Eric Byne

Labour

GM-free


Tony McDermott

Green Party

GM-free


Gay Mitchell, MEP

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Michael Mulcahy, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

GM-free

Aengus Ò Snodaigh, TD

Sinn Féin

GM-free

no answer

Mary Upton, TD

Labour

GM-free

GM-free

Dublin South East

Chris Andrews

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Michael McDowell, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Jim O'Callaghan

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Dublin South West

Seán Crowe, TD

Sinn Féin

GM-free

no answer

Elizabeth Davidson

Green Party

GM-free


Brian Hayes

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Conor Lenihan, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Charlie O'Connor, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Pat Rabitte, TD

Labour

GM-free

no answer

Dublin West

Joan Burton, TD

Labour

GM-free

no answer

Joe Higgins, TD

Socialist

GM-free

GM-free

Brian Lenihan, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Roderic O'Gorman

Green Party

GM-free

no answer

Leo Varadkar

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Dùn Laoghaire

Barry Andrews, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

John Bailey

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Seán Barrett

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Ciaran Cuffe, TD

Green Party

GM-free

GM-free

Eamon Gilmore, TD

Labour

GM-free

no answer

Mary Hanafin

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Fiona O'Malley, TD

PD

pro GMO

no answer

Oisín Quinn

Labour

GM-free


Eugene Regan

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Galway East

Dr. John Barton

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Senator Ulick Burke

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Joe Callanan, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Paul Connaughton, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Colm Keavney

Labour

GM-free


Senator Micheál Kitt

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Paddy McHugh, TD

Independent

none

no answer

Tom McHugh

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Noel Treacy

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Galway West

Michael Crowe

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Frank Fahey, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Noel Grealish, TD

PDs

pro GMO

no answer

Fidelma Healey Eames

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Michael D. Higgins, TD

Labour

GM-free

no answer

Seán Kyne

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Pádraic McCormack, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Niall Ó Brolcháin

Green Party

GM-free

GM-free

Eamon Ó Cuív, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Kerry North

Jimmy Deenihan, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Tom Donovan

Independent

GM-free

GM-free

Martin Ferris, TD

Sinn Féin

GM-free

GM-free

Norma Foley

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


David Grey

Green Party

GM-free


Tom McEllistrim, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Terry O'Brien

Green Party

GM-free


Kerry South

Seamus Fitzgerald

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Tom Fleming

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Jackie Healy-Rae, TD

Independent

none

no answer

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin, TD

Labour

GM-free

no answer

John O'Donohue, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Kildare North

Áine Brady

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Bernard J. Durkan, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Shane Fitzgerald

Green Party

GM-free


Michael Fitzpatrick

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Catherine Murphy, TD

Independent

none

no answer

Darren Scully

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Emmet Stag, TD

Labour

GM-free

no answer

Kildare South

Richard Daly

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Allan Gillis

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Sean O'Fearghail, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

J.J. Power

Green Party

GM-free


Sean Power, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Jack Wall, TD

Labour

GM-free

no answer

Laois Offaly

Molly Buckley

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Brian Cowen, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Olwyn Enright, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Charles Flanagan

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Sean Fleming, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

John Foley

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Maire McKay

Green Party

GM-free


John Moloney, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Jim O'Brien

Labour

GM-free


Tom Parlon, TD

PDs

pro GMO

no answer

David Whelan

Labour

GM-free


Limerick East

Michael Collins, TD

Independent

none

no answer

Trish Forde Brennan

Green Party

GM-free


Michael Noonan, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Willie O'Dea, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Ciaran O'Donnell

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Tim O'Malley, TD

PD

pro GMO

no answer

Jan O'Sullivan, TD

Labour

GM-free

GM-free

Peter Power, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Noreen Ryan

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Limerick West

Nial Collins

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


John Cregan, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Senator Michael Finucane

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Dan Neville, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Longford Westmeath

Senator James Bannon

Fine Gael

pro GMO

GM-free

Peter Burke Jr

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Donie Cassidy, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Peter Kelly, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

NIcky McFadden

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Senator Mary O'Rourke

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Mae Sexton, TD

PD

GM-free

GM-free

Louth

Dermot Ahern, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Jim D'Arcy

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Mark Deary

Green Party

GM-free

GM-free

Seamus Kirk, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Frank Maher

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Mairead McGuinness

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Arthur Morgan, TD

Sinn Féin

GM-free

no answer

Ger Nash

Labour

GM-free


Fergus O'Dowd, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Mayo

Harry Barrett

Labour

GM-free


Dara Calleary

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


John Carty, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Frank Chambers

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Jerry Cowley, TD

Independent

none

no answer

Enda Kenny, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Michelle Mulherin

Fine Gael

pro GMO


John O'Mahony

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Michael Ring, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Meath East

Thomas Byrne

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Regina Doherty

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Dominic Hannigan

Labour

GM-free


Shane McEntee, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Mary Wallace, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Meath West

Johnny Brady, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Brian Collins

Labour

GM-free


Noel Dempsey, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Damien English, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Brian Flanagan

Green Party

GM-free


Peter Higgins

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Sligo Leitrim

Marian Harkin, MEP

Independent

none

GM-free

Sligo North Leitrim

Michael Comisky

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Jimmy Devins, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Imelda Henry

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Jim McGarry

Labour

GM-free


John Perry, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Eamon Scanlon, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Roscommon South

Senator Frank Feighen

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Dennis Naughten, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Roscommon South Leitrim

Hughie Baxter

Labour

GM-free


John Ellis, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Michael Finneran, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Gareth McDaid

Green Party

GM-free

Tipperary North

Senator Noel Coonan

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Maire Hoctor, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Michael Lowry, TD

Independent

none

no answer

Senator Kathleen O'Meara

Labour

GM-free


Michael Smith, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Tipperary South

Siobhan Ambrose

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Tom Hayes, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Seamus Healey, TD

Independent

none

no answer

Senator Martin Mansergh

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Mattie McGrath

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Phil Prendergast

Labour

GM-free


Waterford

Paudie Coffey

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Martin Cullen, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Jim D'Arcy

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Michael D'Arcy

Fine Gael

pro GMO


John Deasy, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Senator Brendan Kenneally

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Brendan McCann

Green Party

GM-free


Brian O'Shea, TD

Labour

GM-free

no answer

Ollie Wilkinson, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Westmeath

Paul McGrath, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Willie Penrose, TD

Labour

GM-free

no answer

Wexford

John Browne, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Sean Connick

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Brendan Howlin, TD

Labour

GM-free

no answer

Paul Kehoe, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Lisa McDonald

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO


Dr. Liam Twomey, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer

Wicklow

Deirdre de Burca

Green Party

GM-free

GM-free

Andrew Doyle

Fine Gael

pro GMO


Mildred Fox, TD

Independent

none

no answer

Joe Jacob, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Nicky Kelly

Labour

GM-free


Liz McManus, TD

Labour

GM-free

GM-free

Dick Roche, TD

Fianna Fáil

pro GMO

no answer

Billy Timmins, TD

Fine Gael

pro GMO

no answer



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