Following a recent public meeting in the Tinahely Courthouse Centre organised by the campaign group ‘GM-free Ireland’, Green Party councillor Deirdre de Burca has called for County Wicklow to be declared a GM-free zone.

The Green Party councillor says that bans on GMO crops have been adopted in nine counties in the Republic including Cavan, Clare, Fermanagh, Kerry, Kildare, Meath, Roscommon, Monaghan and Westmeath. “There is every reason why County Wicklow should join the growing number of counties declaring themselves GMO-free zones” says de Burca. “The organic sector in Co Wicklow is worth approximately 30 million euros at present” says de Burca “There is a higher concentration of organic growers in County Wicklow than in almost any other county in the country. If GM crops are introduced in this country, the cross-contamination of organic crops is inevitable. Why would we go down this road when the organic sector has such growth potential and when there is no public demand for genetically modified produce”?

De Burca says that the Environment Strategic Policy Committee of Wicklow County Council has already considered the issue of GMOs in recent months. “I was delighted to see Cllr Vincent Blake, Chairman of the Environment SPC, at the public meeting on the subject of making County Wicklow a GM-free zone” says de Burca. “Cllr Blake obviously understands that the introduction of GMOs into the county will pose a significant risk to Wicklow’s farmers, as they face the possibility of being made liable for any cross contamination that occurs on their land. There are several examples of legal cases from Canada and the US where innocent conventional farmers were sued by large biotechnology corporations because genetically modified seeds were found on their lands. The courts found that regardless of how the GM seeds ended up on farmer’s land, liability rested with the farmer”.

“I am very hopeful that my fellow councillors on Wicklow County Council will act in the interests of the farmers of the county and will declare Wicklow a GM-free zone” says de Burca. “I would encourage anybody who feels strongly about this issue to contact their local councillors and to lobby them to pass a motion that will declare the county GM-free”.