Ireland abstains as EU imposes insecticide ban to protect bees

Three insecticides blamed for killing huge numbers of bees and endangering food crops throughout the world will be partially banned by the EU.

Ireland voted against the ban last month following intense lobbying by industry, but changed position slightly and abstained from the vote in Brussels yesterday.

The majority of countries voted for the ban, but there were not enough votes to enforce it. This left it open to the European Commission to take action and it decided to impose temporary new rules.