For the past 18 months, some TDs have clamoured unsuccessfully for debate on the most rapidly developing technology of the late 20th century: genetic engineering and its controversial offspring, GM foods.
For as long, GM food opponents have demanded indication of why Fianna Fail was not delivering on its pre-election promise of 1997 to place a moratorium on the development of GM crops. Yesterday, the TDs got their debate and the Minister for the Environment, Mr Dempsey, answered the question. He was quite happy to answer. On taking office, among his first actions was to see what could be done to implement the promise. "I was advised that under EU legislation it is not possible for Ireland or any member-state unilaterally to impose any form of general ban on genetically modified organisms (GMOs)."
He was, nonetheless, determined to have a full public debate on imminent amendments to EU policy on GMOs and the environment. In there too would be "the precautionary principle" and "maximum transparency" in the regulatory process he presides over.
Moreover, Mr Dempsey attempted to rescue his "consultation process", which is due to inform national policy to be set prior to EU deliberations in June. It was to be in the form of national debates with inputs by government departments, scientists, industry and non-governmental organisations (who are against the way the technology is being introduced and its products are being foisted, most unlabelled, on consumers).
A new four-person independent layer is to evaluate what is thrown-up by the debates and report to him. This move was prompted by the withdrawal of all 19 NGOs from the process as they believed the format was too narrowly focused and imbalanced. Their demand for a national consensus conference, mediated by lay people to represent public interest, was curtly dismissed. But he was committed to arrangements which were "as participative and democratic as possible".
The independence and expertise of the panel headed by Mr Turlough O'Donnell QC is beyond question. But it may be perceived as "establishment" by NGOs, such as Genetic Concern, who are sceptical, for they have been largely excluded in the face of rapidly developing modern biotechnology up to now.
It was, however, the Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Mr Tom Kitt, who illustrated the quagmire that has become the GM food issue; not to mention complicating factors such as four departments and two State agencies with responsibility in some way for GM foods. Then there is the confusing and singularly uninformative arrangements for labelling GM foods. And the EU has yet to determine a "validated analytical method" to test if a product contains GM protein or DNA.
The Department of Health, he noted, is "urgently considering" whether we are to follow Britain by demanding that food outlets indicate where they use GM ingredients, with fines for transgressors.
Mr Kitt may believe the jury is out on the merits of GM foods but his view - and Mr Dempsey's advocacy of caution - contrasted sharply with strong pro-biotech stances from Minister of State for Commerce, Science and Technology, Mr Noel Treacy, and Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Mr Ned O'Keeffe.
It is hard to see how such divergent views may be reconciled by the interdepartmental group on GMOs, commanded by the Cabinet to examine their implications with some urgency. Socialist Party TD Mr Joe Higgins suggested it all amounted to "an entirely cowardly and utterly opportunist approach" by Government.
The potential for a "moratorium in theory" was confirmed by the stances of Labour and Fine Gael, who almost in one bound have become highly engaged on the issue. Labour environment spokesman Mr Eamon Gilmore captured the essence of the consumer's dilemma: "How can scientists say with such certainty, after so short a trial and use of GM crops either that they are safe or that they are unsafe?"
Fine Gael spokesman on the environment Mr Alan Dukes reserved most invective for the Green Party, accusing it of unbridled scare-mongering. Yet he advocated a moratorium on commercial development of GM foods at EU level. He cited "absence of public confidence that the application of genetic engineering in the food sector is subject to any comparable testing process" found in the pharmaceutical industry.
Undeterred, the Greens were happy to get their debate, so much so they declared yesterday to be "GMO Day". One of their TDs, Mr John Gormley, claimed his party was the only one with a consistent and unequivocal position on GMOs, unlike the hopelessly divergent attitudes within Government. GM foods, it seems, have become as divisive as politics itself.