Dismay at official backing for GM crop trials

The Government's interdepartmental committee on biotechnology favours developing the controversial technology here and recommends that genetically modified crop trials continue and that Government agencies encourage cultivation of GM crops.

The report's findings have caused dismay amongst environmental groups opposed to the technology, particularly as applied to crops and foods.

The committee was formed in March last year in response to public disquiet about the spread of GM foods. It was asked to develop a co-ordinated Government position on biotechnology and to come up with recommendations on a range of issues including better public information, tougher labelling and new regulations.

The group was chaired by Mr Ronald Long, assistant secretary in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. For this reason the report was introduced by the Tanaiste, Ms Harney, the Department's Minister.

The group included senior officials from the Departments of Environment and Local Government; Agriculture, Food and Rural Development; Health and Children; and also from the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.

The document is unashamedly pro-biotech in both tone and conclusions. It states that the risks of applying the technology should be neither minimised nor magnified but adds that it will be a "critical source of economic growth" in the future and of considerable importance to Ireland.

"These benefits - and the economic and other costs of missing out on them - must be considered alongside the possible risks," it states. It strongly advocates a "positive but precautionary approach" to GM issues at EU level and at international forums.

Two key findings, that GM crop trials should continue here and that Government Departments should encourage the introduction of modified commercial crops, have caused particular disquiet among the technology's opponents.

The report balances its positive view of biotechnology with a wide range of recommendations on strengthening regulatory controls on GM technology and building up scientific testing and assessment capabilities.

It calls for detailed protocols governing GM crop trials, prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency with the Department of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.

It strongly advises that much greater efforts should go into informing the public by information and public consultation.

The full document, Inter-Departmental Group on Modern Biotechnology Report, is available from the Government Publications Sales Office.

It is also published in full on the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment's web site, http://www.entemp.ie/ publications.htm