'Bee Highways' To Be Created Across Ireland

Sinn Féin has called on the government to ban genetically modified crops in an effort to protect biodiversity in Ireland.

MEP and member of the European Parliament's Environment committee, Lynn Boylan, made the call as she welcomed a decision to create "bee highways" across the state.

These corridors of wild flowers are being brought in to help save bees from possible extinction.

Deputy Boylan said: "As a former ecologist and a co-author of an upcoming EU biodiversity report I am very pleased to hear that action is starting to be taken to address the serious decline of the bee population. Their importance as pollinators for some crucial crops cannot be understated. Without their free pollinating service for crops it would cost the agricultural sector an astronomical amount to do the same job.

"Inspiration for these bee highways has come from Norway. I now call on the Irish government to also follow Norway's example on genetically modified crops, where they are heavily restricted.

"Genetically modified crops are associated with the growth of large areas of land being covered in monoculture crops which are dosed in damaging pesticides and ultimately lead to a devastating loss of biodiversity.

"If the Irish government is serious about protecting biodiversity, it is time they formally applied for a ban on GM crops being grown in Irish soil."

(MH/CD)