A German company has been granted permission to plant a field with genetically modified potatoes in Co Meath.
BASF Plant Science will carry out trials on the one-acre site in Arodstown, Summerhill, over the next five years to determine if the GM potatoes have an increased resistance to blight.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said the trials would be subject to strict conditions, with regular monitoring by inspectors.
"The trials can be modified, suspended or terminated by the EPA at any time if new information comes to light," said a spokeswoman.
BASF Plant Science applied for the licence to carry out the trials in January, and the EPA had until mid-April to make its decision. The agency extended the deadline five times as it sought further clarification on questions raised about the trials.
The EPA spokeswoman said the consent was for field trials only and should not be confused with the placing of GM products on the market, which required a separate consent and approval process at EU level.
"Potatoes (GM or non-GM) harvested from the field trials will not be used for food or feed purposes," she said.
Many environmental activists oppose GM food trials because they fear that it might lead to cross-contamination of other crops.
The EPA said BASF Plant Science would have to carry out follow-up studies to determine the potential pollen flow to adjacent crops, the potential for the GM tubers to persist both inside and outside the field trial area and the plant biodiversity that might be affected by the trial.