‘Economy will be badly affected’ if Nice Treaty rejected
ASA president Seán Gaule, who issued the warning, was speaking at a special function in Dublin to celebrate the roots of higher agricultural education in Ireland some 100 years ago and to honour the faculty of agricultural science in UCD. He said it would be wrong to relate what is a current income difficulty with the long-term strategic decision of enlargement. Consequently, ASA, whose annual conference takes place today, is urging its members to vote Yes in the forthcoming referendum.
Mr Gaule made a presentation of a sculpture to UCD registrar Caroline Hussey to mark the achievements of the agricultural science faculty.
Congratulating the faculty on its achievements, Mr Gaule said it might be noted that a fifth of all agricultural graduates in the last 100 years actually graduated in the last 10 years and that numbers are up again this year.
“The faculty of agriculture is to be complimented in developing and diversifying its courses and in making them attractive to students and of continued value to industry and the economy.
“We believe continued investment in agricultural science is essential to Irish economic prosperity, whether in agriculture and food or in related fields.”
Mr Gaule said science, however, is not always as well sold to the consumer and perhaps also to politicians as it might be. For example, GMO research in Europe is for the most part in abeyance for over four years.
“This is contrary to scientific advice, due in the most part to public opinion not being fully informed or ill-informed. It is regrettable that some biotech companies have already left Europe. Other regions will gain in technological advantage and competitiveness as a result.”
Referring to the strong links between agricultural science and the food industry, Mr Gaule called on Irish food companies to do more to establish themselves in the EU markets. “We would like to see renewed effort in this respect, particularly in the area of product development, and with additional resources allocated to marketing in Europe, he said.
Agriculture and Food Minister Joe Walsh also praised the contribution the faculty has made to agricultural development and the economic well-being of the industry in Ireland, since it was established in 1926.
He said the application of science to agricultural production brought about profound changes in the quality and quantity of production, and this had a significant bearing on the income and well-being of the farming population.
