The Irish Government and its EU Commissioner, Mr David Byrne, have been accused by the European Green Party leader, Mr Danny Cohn-Bendit, of being anti-consumer and pro-industry. The accusations were made by Mr Cohn-Bendit at a conference on food organised by the party in Dublin Castle yesterday.
Mr Cohn-Bendit, said Ireland was giving in to international pressure and looked as if it would preside over the introduction of GM food in Europe.
He was referring to the decision on whether or not to allow the sale of tinned GM sweetcorn at the meeting of agriculture ministers at the end of this month.
Ireland, he said, was one of six EU countries which has voted in favour of lifting the ban at a civil service level, but the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has denied that any decision has been taken.
"On the basis of bad science, Ireland is going to let down its own consumers and food consumers all over Europe and lift the ban on GM food in the EU," said Mr Cohn-Bendit.
Describing Ireland's Commissioner Mr David Byrne as "a very nice man", he added that he always took the part of industry and "had wrong ideas."
Ms Patricia McKenna said the Greens were angry at the high levels of cross-contamination from GM seeds and crops that Mr Byrne, the Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection, was prepared to accept before a product had to be labelled as containing GM material .
The conference passed a resolution calling on the Government to declare Ireland a GM free zone in order to maintain GM free agricultural promotion and to protect genetic products from contamination. They called on the Government to maintain the moratorium on the release of GMO until all five precautionary requirements were firmly established in practice; safety, traceability, labelling, protection against contamination and liability.
The conference also called on the Government to use the flexibility provided by EU legislation on hygiene for foodstuffs to protect small scale production of regional specialities. Cllr Mary Green, the party's candidate in the East constituency, said people were beginning to search out local food because of scares associated with global food.
Calling for support for local producers, she said there were currently 50 farmers' markets supporting 400 suppliers who were getting better returns from these markets than conventional outlets. Supporting these markets, she said, meant protecting and helping rural economies and would lead to the support of sustainable farming.
Mr John Brennan of the Leitrim Organic Farmers Co-operative, said that if necessary farmers and consumers should consider a campaign of civil disobedience should the Government let GM crops be produced here. Farmers, should look to the Constitution to protect their livelihood should the ban be lifted on GM production.