IRELAND TO VOTE NO AT FEBRUARY 25 MEETING ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L DUBLIN 000080 SIPDIS STATE FOR EBB/TPP/ABT STATE FOR EUR/ERA STATE PASS USTR E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/24/2019 TAGS: EAGR ECON PGOV EI SUBJECT: IRELAND TO VOTE NO AT FEBRUARY 25 MEETING ON BIOTECH CORN REF: STATE 14566 Classified By: Acting PEO Chief Dwight Nystrom. Reasons 1.4(b/d). ¶1. (C) Econoff spoke to Tom O'Mahony, Assistant Secretary in the Department of Environment, who said that the Irish government would vote against the approval of the two biotech corn varieties at the February 25 meeting of the EU's DG Environment Regulatory Committee meeting (reftel). He said that the Irish government is "constrained by political factors on biotech issues" (Note: Environment Minister John Gormley is a Green Party member as is the Department of Agriculture's Minister of State for Food Trevor Sargent. The Green Party opposes the introduction of genetically modified organisms into Ireland. End Note). O'Mahony expects that there will not be a qualified majority either for or against, so the matter will be taken up by the EU Commission, which will ultimately approve both varieties. FAUCHER