A total pesticides ban in 2024 would be “too soon” for Ireland, Pippa Hackett has said.

The Minister of State was responding to a question from the Irish Farmers Journal at the Green Party Conference on the threat that the current draft of the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation could result in a total ban on all pesticides in this country as soon as 2024.

Last week, an official in the Department of Agriculture, speaking at the Oireachtas agriculture committee, confirmed this prospect, first revealed by the Irish Farmers Journal in October.

“We cannot continue to rely on chemical pesticides, because we end up having to increase or change, or it’s always another manifestation of another pesticide because one becomes obsolete, either for health concerns or because it’s ineffective, as plants change and they don’t respond to them anymore,” said Minister Hackett.

“I don’t believe we can continue along that line, so if we can make the step forwards now to change how we farm far more in tune with nature, and use those natural processes that exist. Use the soil... we know pesticides damage soil, fertiliser damages soil.”

When asked to clarify if that meant she supported a total ban by 2024, Minister Hackett said: “2024 is a little bit too soon. We’re in 2022 now, we’d have to phase some sort of process in, we’d have to look at that.”

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue took a very different view when contacted.

“No decision has yet been made” in relation to the Sustainable Use Directive, he said.

“The Department of Agriculture is currently conducting a very comprehensive public consultation which will ensure Ireland’s view will be balanced and led by science.”

Critical

“It is absolutely mission critical that we arm farmers with fact-based science in order to support them to do what they do best and that is the production of safe, sustainable and healthy food.

“Central to this is taking a prudent approach to pesticide use while also examining all options around emerging technologies that ensure that as we seek to improve environment sustainability that we also ensure that we have financial sustainability of our farmers,” he said.

Minister of State Martin Heydon went even further: “Plant protection products are an integral part of our food production system, here in Ireland and across Europe. “It is important that there is a balanced debate and that decisions are led by science. If we are to realise the ambitions of Farm to Fork while protecting food production and farmers’ livelihoods, viable alternatives are needed for these products.”

He highlighted that the consultation is open until 20 January 2023.