Monsanto ‘represented Ireland at WTO talks’

THE Irish delegation to world trade talks included a representative of Monsanto corporation, the US firm pioneering genetically-modified (GM) crops, it was claimed yesterday.

Senator David Norris challenged the Government to explain why Monsanto representative Mella Frewen was part of the Irish team at the World Trade Organisation talks in Hong Kong last December.

“I think that’s disgraceful,” Mr Norris told a press conference organised by GM-free Ireland Network.

Monsanto, who used the Irish delegation as “as a trojan horse”, did not represent the Irish people, he said.

“I call on Bertie Ahern and the Government to explain what that Monsanto representative was doing at the WTO discussions, purporting to represent the Irish people,” he added.

However, the Department of Agriculture insisted last night that Ms Frewen was not part of its delegation, but that a number of lobby groups had attended the talks.

During a noisy demonstration outside the Dáil yesterday, about 150 protestors from many parts of the country called on the Government to ban GM crops.

The protest was called to oppose attempts by the German BASF Plant Science company to grow GM potatoes in the shadow of the Hill of Tara, Co Meath.

BASF has applied to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be allowed to grow blight-resistant GM potatoes for five years, starting next April.

Yesterday was the deadline set by the EPA for public submissions on BASF’s proposal. Anti-GM groups are urging Environment Minister Dick Roche and Health Minister Mary Harney “to prevent the invasion of Ireland” with GM seeds and crops.

Opponents of GM warned cross-contamination from GM crops could spell disaster for Ireland’s “green” image as a food nation, apart from any unknown health and environmental risks.

“It would be the biggest rip-off in the history of the State,” said Michael O’Callaghan, who organised the Dáil protest.

Other speakers described efforts to grow GM crops on Irish soil as “new colonialism”.

The protesters represented 83 businesses and organisations as well as more than 32,000 people. Surveys of Irish attitudes towards GM food show 60% are against its introduction.