Ireland to become GM free?
Green Party environment spokesperson Ciarán Cuffe has said the door is now open to Ireland becoming a GM-free country following a decision by the European Council this week.
The Council rejected European Commission plans to force Austria to overturn its ban on two GMO crops, which the Commission said were not in line with World Trade Organisation (WTO) laws.
Deputy Cuffe said: "This decision reopens the debate on the right of countries and regions to declare themselves GM-free. The decision is seen as a major setback to the pro-GMO Commission but it is a decision which also puts pressure on our own Government.
"Dick Roche has always maintained that national and regional bans could not be upheld with in the EU framework. However, this week's Council decision suggests that Ireland may now have a second chance to declare itself a GM-free area.
"Currently, eight county councils and a number of town councils have democratically passed motions declaring themselves GM-free regions. The Irish Government has refused to recognise these regions' status, stating that such regional bans would not be recognised by the EU.
"This week's decision suggests that national Governments can impose both national and regional bans on GMOs. The Government must now come clean and state clearly whether they will recognise the right of regions in Ireland to be GM-free," concluded Deputy Cuffe.
