Group's `wakeup' call on GM foods

Genetic Concern described it as "a wake-up call" to the Government, and it was delivered from their bed parked in the draughty surrounds of Leinster House.

The group claims it is not being treated seriously by the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, in its call for consumer protection in the face of genetic engineering expansion, notably the arrival of genetically modified foods on supermarket shelves. This was later strongly denied by Mr Dempsey.

It accused the Government of hiding behind a consultation process on GM organisms and the environment, and using it as "an excuse for inaction". Since submissions were made in September, it could not get any indication of what was going on, and had failed to get a meeting with the Minister, according to a founder member, Ms Clare Watson.

Mr Quentin Gargan, of Genetic Concern, said they would sleep outside the Dail for days to ensure their message was heard. The Minister said he had received some 200 submissions, many very detailed, in response to his consultation paper by a closing date of September 30th. These were from a variety of sources and were being taken into consideration before moving on to the next stage of the consultative process.