The attempt by multi-national companies to totally control the world seeds market represented the ugly face of globalisation and had to be opposed.

This was stated by Independent MEP Marian Harkin when she addressed a Press Conference organised by GM Free Ireland Network in conjunction with a Dail demonstration mounted to oppose proposed experiments involving genetically modified (GMO) potatoes.

Marian Harkin strongly criticised the fact that members of the Dail and Seanad were not given an opportunity to influence Government decisions in relation to genetically modified organisms.   “There is an unacceptable democratic deficit on this issue and it has led to ill-considered decisions by the Government that experimentation on GMO’s and support for the patenting of seeds is acceptable to the Irish people”, she said.

The proposed experiment by the German multinational BASF company to develop a blight resistant potato was unnecessary, she said, as blight resistant strains were already available internationally through natural seed development programmes

Due to our island location Ireland has a unique opportunity to remain GMO free and to develop our food production and marketing industry as an added value activity, and it is unacceptable that this opportunity should be lost as a result of Government inaction or compliance with international interests whose main motivation is profit and obtaining exclusive rights to dictate what shall be grown in the future”, Independent MEP Marian Harkin said.