Campaigners against genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) who yesterday protested at a GM sugar beet trial site in east Cork last night called for a full debate on the issue within the Irish Farmers Association.
According to an anti-GMO activist, Mr Stuart McIntyre, yesterday's protest at field trials by the food giant, Monsanto, on the farm of Mr Dick Fitzgerald, at Ballymaloe, had helped to highlight the dangers of GM sugar beet.
"I think the next step is to get together with Dick Fitzgerald and his buddies in the IFA and open a serious debate about this whole issue of GMOs rather than having two sides shouting across a fence at each other," he said.
Yesterday's protest was billed as a family fun day out with facepainting and juggling.
It was attended by about 60 anti-GMO campaigners, some wearing white boiler suits similar to those worn by protesters who recently sabotaged a GM crop in Britain.
But yesterday's protest, which was monitored by a small number of gardai, passed off peacefully.
Protesters engaged the Monsanto Ireland General Manager, Dr Patrick O'Reilly, in a wide-ranging and vigorous debate on GMOs at the edge of the field.