The move towards genetically-modified (GM) crops is to become a hot potato at Cabinet level with two Cork TDs divided on the issue.
Deputy Tom Barry is to write to the Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, and the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, to voice his objection on the decision to allow for a trial growth of GM potatoes here.
However among the many backers of the trial is his colleague in Cork East, Minister for Research and Innovation Sean Sherlock.
Fine Gael TD Tom Barry, who is a trained biochemist and a farmer, said the introduction of (GM) crops would damage our reputation as a food exporter — and the only winner would be the multiples like the major retailers.
He was speaking in response to the decision by the Environmental Protection Agency to grant permission to Teagasc to carry out field trials on a GM-potato line with improved resistance to late potato blight.
Deputy Barry, who is also a member of the Teagasc Tillage Commodity Committee, said he was also “furious” as the decision was not discussed at the last meeting of the group.
“The only people that would benefit from this would be the large multiples and the spray companies.
“Our reputation as a food exporter could not be higher but that now could be in danger — the GM crops would make its way into feed for our cattle, for instance. At the moment we are one of the countries in the world that can say it does not grow GM crops.
“It doesn’t make economic or scientific sense for us. I would be in favour of GM if we as a country could not produce enough food to feed ourselves, but that is not the case.
“Potato growers around the country are already finding it very difficult and any profits made will just go to the large multiples. The treatment of producers at the moment is nothing short of scandalous. This is a new science and we still don’t know the full affects of it on nature.”
However Minister Sherlock said Ireland can play its parts in helping discover another scientific breakthrough.
“Teagasc is a world-class research organisation that does excellent work and this is just at the trial stage,” he said. “Due to changing weather patters there are parts of the world, such as developing countries, where this would be very beneficial. This could help poorer countries and my instinct is to be in favour of science.”
Minister Sherlock also hit out detractors of GM crops: “The middle-class say we should buy organic but not everybody can afford to do so. We have been interfering with Mother Nature since the middle ages.”
Thomas Carpenter, chairman of the potato committee for the Irish Farmers Association, said they would be keeping a “watching brief” on the trial.
“The economic impact of this will have to be assessed. GM can reduce the use of chemicals on crops for farmers. The reality is consumers especially these days shop with the pockets before ideology comes into it,” he said.