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Ireland backed keeping glyphosate on the market Alamy Stock Photo

Ireland supported keeping weedkiller glyphosate on the market for another 10 years in EU vote

The Department of Agriculture said its decision was based on scientific advice.

IRELAND VOTED IN favour of a 10-year renewal of the EU licence for glyphosate, one of the world’s most widely used herbicides.

The Department of Agriculture told The Journal it supported the renewal based on “exceptionally detailed scientific assessments” by two EU scientific agencies “which did not identify any critical areas of concern”.

Glyphosate, better known by the brand Roundup, has been associated with adverse impacts on the environment and on human health. Manufacturer Bayer – which bought the chemical’s developer, Monsanto, in 2018 – has faced legal actions claiming glyphosate exposure caused cancer, a claim it denies. A class action is now underway in Australia.

A recent assessment of the evidence on glyphosate by the European Food Safety Authority (Efsa), one of the EU’s scientific agencies, did not identify concerns that would prevent reauthorisation – advice which was criticised by environmental groups, which noted gaps in the data.

The department represented Ireland at an appeals committee vote in Brussels on Thursday at which a qualified majority was not reached, with three votes against renewal and seven abstentions.

The abstentions are understood to have included the EU’s three largest member states – Germany, France and Italy – while the countries voting against were Luxemburg, Austria and Croatia.

In the absence of a qualified majority in favour of or against renewal, the European Commission was left to make the final decision. It will renew the licence, which was due to expire next month. 

The Commission said it would impose new conditions as part of the renewed licence, including maximum application rates and a requirement for member states to “set risk mitigation measures to ensure that non-target organisms and the environment are protected”.

The Department of Agriculture said the assessments of glyphosate by the EU’s scientific agencies were “comprehensive and included all relevant scientific information from a wide range of sources, including numerous studies published in the scientific literature and extensive public consultation input”.

“Glyphosate has been reviewed in depth at EU level twice within recent years, with no critical concerns being identified on either occasion. The current assessment is the most detailed review ever performed for a pesticide in the EU,” the department said.

The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) has advocated for the licence to be renewed, arguing that glyphosate is “critical” for Irish farming.

Kieran McEvoy, chair of the IFA’s grain committee, explained that glyphosate is widely used in Irish tillage to remove weeds, self-sown seeds and catch crops after harvest and before sowing a new crop. 

McEvoy said farmers have lost several chemicals in recent years as a result of regulation. He said he trusts the scientific advice that glyphosate is safe for use and is not personally worried about using it, as he wears personal protection equipment as advised.

The IFA has also argued that glyphosate facilitates the use of multi-species swards in grassland, which helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture.

The EU’s decision was welcomed by the Glyphosate Renewal Group, a coalition of companies including Bayer, which said equipping farmers with “effective and safe tools to control weeds” would “contribute to a more secure European food supply”.

A filing on the EU Transparency Register shows that Irish public relations firm Hume Brophy spent between €300,000 and €400,000 in 2022 on activities in Brussels on behalf of the Glyphosate Renewal Group.

A number of Irish city and county councils have implemented bans or restrictions on the use of glyphosate in their areas but many were still using glyphosate last year, as reported by The Journal‘s investigative platform Noteworthy.

The World Health Organization deemed glyphosate a “probable” carcinogen in 2015, leading to widespread concern globally at its use. Environmentalists have also noted evidence of negative impacts on aquatic life and on pollinators. Ahead of this week’s vote, Greenpeace argued that alternatives exist.

Pesticide Action Network Europe said approving glyphosate for continued use was not in line with the precautionary principle, whereby preventative decision-making should take place when there are risks to health or the environment.

Green MEPs, including Ireland’s Grace O’Sullivan, have called on the European Commission president to intervene to prevent the licence renewal.

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    Mute Fergal Mullally
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    Nov 17th 2023, 12:22 AM

    The same clowns like Charlie McConalogue that authorised the culling of 3800 badgers this year and every year, Daragh o Brien who grants licences for hare coursing and fox hunting every year. These people only care about their egos, careers and money and don’t care if the entire natural world dies as long as they and their cronies get rich

    700
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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Nov 17th 2023, 8:59 AM

    @Fergal Mullally: Don’t mess with me ‘revenue streams’.

    77
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    Mute Carmel O'Dwyer
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    Nov 17th 2023, 6:02 AM

    There’s so much research on how these chemicals impact insects and soil. How can they allow this! They spray public spaces with this for no reason – exposing people to carcinogens. Yet they tax motorists to death on diesel/petrol to reduce environmental harm?? It’s a money game run by psychopaths who care not a jot for you or I!

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    Mute Pat the Baker
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    Nov 17th 2023, 8:07 AM

    @Carmel O’Dwyer: Germany has banned the used of this weed killer in public spaces because of the risk of cancer, diabetes, inflammation of the liver, metabolic problems in adulthood if children are exposed to this dangerous chemical.
    People used to buy it to kill weeds in their own garden and then their children played in the same place. Farmers using this are putting the lives of their children and grandchildren at risk as well as people living near the land where it is used.

    189
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    Mute Joe Lynch
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    Nov 17th 2023, 6:33 AM

    I am disgusted with Ireland for voting against the ban
    I am a horticulturist in my 30+ year career I have always refused to use chemicals as I know the damage they can cause . It’s the usual story let the next generation deal with the problem.

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    Mute Alan Wright
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    Nov 17th 2023, 8:05 AM

    @Joe Lynch: Haha, is that a cigarette in your hand in your profile picture. Seems like you don’t give a crap about harmful chemicals really.

    71
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    Mute Pat the Baker
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    Nov 17th 2023, 8:14 AM

    @Alan Wright: Joe’s point is argument – your comment is a personal attack. Cigarettes are highly addictive and the tobacco industry spent trillions marketing them in the past using Hollywood stars like Humphrey Bogart, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, John Wayne, Ronald Reagan, Barbara Stanwyck and many many more. Smoking was marketed as stylish and suave to generations of young impressionable people – it’s nothing to be laughed at in a childish manner.

    167
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    Mute Peter Laurent
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    Nov 17th 2023, 6:25 AM

    And paying for it in turn with increased cancer rates in farmers and users of the products. Poisoning our rivers and oceans . Making the food chain unviable and unsafe .

    219
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    Mute lastfewchocices
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    Nov 17th 2023, 12:52 AM

    Hey journal!! Comments are open!
    Assemble the troops.
    Oops. I said troops.

    189
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    Mute David
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    Nov 17th 2023, 7:12 AM

    We have a so called Green in government and he allowed this!

    Don’t knock on my door looking for a vote!!!

    191
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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    Nov 17th 2023, 10:30 AM

    @David: Yes because Eamon Ryan is more powerful than the IFA and the EU farming lobbies

    24
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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    Nov 17th 2023, 10:39 AM

    @David: Both Green Party MEPs for Ireland, Grace O’Sullivan and Ciarán Cuffe wrote to the minister urging him to vote against the renewal.

    36
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    Mute ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere
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    Nov 17th 2023, 11:52 AM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: And the Green Party in government?

    Those can could actually force a decision on this?
    What did they actually do, except sit on their hands?

    24
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    Mute lWOk0fWf
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    Nov 17th 2023, 12:36 AM

    The DOA are the enemy. Simple.

    170
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    Mute hi from heaven
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    Nov 17th 2023, 6:46 AM

    The farmers spray cereal crops with roundup before harvest not because it is essential but because it makes it easier to harvest…
    Alot of farmers who don’t do tillage don’t know this, including myself until recently

    135
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    Mute Michael Walsh
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    Nov 17th 2023, 7:22 AM

    @hi from heaven: they would only use it for feed barely for cattle and must be sprayed with over 10 days to get any advantage of it. Must farmers now actually put in a cache crop after a grain crop, then disc it down, plough or min till and that eliminates a lot of the need to use round-up as very or little weeds come up in the next crop.

    46
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    Mute Martin Kenny
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    Nov 17th 2023, 9:22 AM

    @hi from heaven: you must have been living underneath a rock if you didn’t know this.
    Also, if you did some research, you would know this practice has been banned under the renewal licence, as has it’s use by public and municipal users (county councils etc).
    There is also a limit on the amount per acre of the product that can be used. Most of the public would be using a litre for a small back yard, where an egg cup full would be sufficient to kill the weeds there. This is why it’s regulated, and to buy and use this product, the user must be trained and have a licence, like all other pesticides. How many members of the public have and use the proper PPE when spraying??

    26
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    Mute Liam mc carthy
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    Nov 17th 2023, 12:27 AM

    DOA are souless.

    158
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    Mute Dissasociated Follower
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    Nov 17th 2023, 5:53 AM

    A group of gombeens have far to much power in this country. No wonder Ireland has some the highest cancer rates in the world.

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    Mute Eddie O'Reilly
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    Nov 17th 2023, 4:45 AM

    Disgraceful

    158
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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Nov 17th 2023, 1:27 PM

    @Eddie O’Reilly: Wish elected officials worked for everyone the way they do for farmers.

    19
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    Mute Spanner
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    Nov 17th 2023, 1:11 AM

    Is anyone really surprised. Go on bring bact ddt and feck it all up

    101
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    Mute Patrick Cadogan
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    Nov 17th 2023, 1:34 AM

    @Spanner: a very valid point

    40
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    Mute Denis Rathsallagh Brady
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    Nov 17th 2023, 7:27 AM

    Its a weedkiller so it kills plant life.

    Thats all anyone needs to know that its harmful to our lives too.

    Envelopes still up and running in FFG

    People please stop voting for these parties c’mon now enoughs enough

    91
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    Mute Thesaltyurchin
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    Nov 17th 2023, 5:04 PM

    @Denis Rathsallagh Brady: Look at the back of the washing-up liquid bottle. It literally recommends you don’t put it in the water system as it kills aquatic life (perhaps any life that is in the water).

    8
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    Mute Denis Rathsallagh Brady
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    Nov 17th 2023, 6:23 PM

    @Thesaltyurchin: What???!!!!?????
    Right so we go back to warm water and elbow grease.
    Seems cleaning products are killing products.
    Am i wrong?

    3
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    Mute Pato
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    Nov 17th 2023, 6:29 AM

    Another “victory” for Badman and agribusiness.

    52
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    Mute David
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    Nov 17th 2023, 7:15 AM

    What an absolute disgrace of a government, get rid of these people, they are destroying OUR environment.

    86
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    Mute David
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    Nov 17th 2023, 7:13 AM

    Green cancer!

    56
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    Mute Tom Newell
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    Nov 17th 2023, 8:21 AM

    Soon the tax everything greens in the name of saving the planet, can ban turf cutting, declare war on car owners, and build pointless cycle lanes……but when its something thats actually dangerous, they are as useful as a condom machine in a nuns convent getting something like this stopped. Well theres a shock

    61
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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    Nov 17th 2023, 10:31 AM

    @Tom Newell: if you think the party is that useless why are you relying on them to stop something like this? why aren’t you holding all political parties accountable?
    the blame here is with the IFA and the EU farming lobbies

    14
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    Mute ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere
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    Nov 17th 2023, 12:04 PM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: Could it just be that such issues as protecting the environment is what The Greens sell themselves to us as reason for their existence, and what we might reasonably expect from them?

    As a matter of interest, why are you anxious to protect the hypocrisy of the Greens?

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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    Nov 17th 2023, 1:54 PM

    @ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: but you want the Greens wiped out in the next election no?
    who then will you expect to protect the environment rather than a party you despise?

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    Mute ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere
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    Nov 17th 2023, 3:09 PM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: As the Greens have shown their interests are aligned with corporations and business interests, your question is meaningless.

    2
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    Mute Sean
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    Nov 17th 2023, 9:58 AM

    The unelected European Commission making decisions in the best interests of massive corporations? Well I never!
    The Irish government taking it’s scientific advice from the European FSA which is riddled with members who have conflicts of interest arising from their involvement with massive corporations. Who could have believed!

    A new systematic assessment by CEO finds that nearly half (46%) of all experts sitting on the scientific panels of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) still are in a direct and/ or indirect financial conflict of interest situation with the agribusiness and food industries. https://corporateeurope.org/en/food-and-agriculture/efsa/chronology#:~:text=%2D%2011%20June%202017%3A%20A%20new,the%20agribusiness%20and%20food%20industries.

    32
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    Mute Sean
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    Nov 17th 2023, 10:00 AM

    @Sean: Last month a major report from the Global Glyphosate Study revealed that even in low doses(corresponding to EU recommend daily intake) the chemical causes leukemia in young rats

    37
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    Mute Sean
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    Nov 17th 2023, 10:04 AM
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    Mute Jo Kelly
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    Nov 17th 2023, 10:34 AM

    @Sean: well said. Despite ongoing legal action in the US and Australia, the only ‘scientific reports’ presented to EU saying Glyphosate was safe were backed by Agri. Their lobby groups were so powerful, the EU cowards buckled. This stuff is sprayed on everything we eat and drink that comes from crops. You still can’t escape it even by buying organic as that’s not a guarantee. But Ireland’s decision, along with recent exposures on live export and the dairy industry shock the hell out of me.

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    Mute Sean
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    Nov 17th 2023, 6:08 PM

    @Jo Kelly: 100% Jo

    2
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    Mute Jo Kelly
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    Nov 17th 2023, 11:08 AM

    Glyphosate is in everything we eat and drink – crops fruit waterways, found in 60% of bread, sprayed all over fruit and veg, found in 80% of urine in tests in Ireland and US – even in those who eat organic diet. Despite hundreds of millions in legal cases being settled in US, new pre-emptive legislation will prevent people suing these companies. Despite ongoing battles in UD and Australia, the EU rejected research linking tumours in rats to Glyphosate, they allowed agri-backed ‘scientific reports’ alleging Glyphosate was safe and gave into bully agri lobbyists to allow this go through. Unless you grow your own food, have your own crystal spring somewhere, you’ve got it in your system now. Countless research links to cancer, neuro-degeneratuve diseases, etc. it’s in your system now.

    31
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    Mute JP
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    Nov 17th 2023, 9:01 AM

    Glyphosate has been used for years and years in this country…what is the cancer rate among the users ? That should be the guideline..not the rantings that preceded this comment.

    29
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    Mute ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere
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    Nov 17th 2023, 12:08 PM

    @JP: Their are at least 2 possible avenues for causing harm.

    1. Contact with the individual during use, such as skin or inhalation.
    2. Ingestion, by consuming food contaminated by this chemical.

    Neither might cause cancer.
    Or either might cause cancer.
    Or both might cause cancer.

    But we should not exclude the possibility of cancer, or other harm, caused to those who consume contaminated produce.

    There is also widespread evidence of harm to insert life, life upon which the ecosystem depends.

    13
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    Mute Mullie Craven
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    Nov 17th 2023, 9:56 AM

    A few interesting links regarding Roundup and Parkinson’s , Autism etc.
    I’m not allowed post links – so just Google “roundup and parkinson’s”

    26
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    Mute John Conway
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    Nov 17th 2023, 11:29 AM

    Monsanto! The same company that produced Agent Orange during the Vietnam war. No moral compass!

    28
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    Mute Art Vandelay
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    Nov 17th 2023, 9:20 AM

    It’s ok, if you call it lobbying then it’s not bribery or corruption. Move along now peasants, nothing to see here except the good old government acting in the best interests of it’s mates, I mean the people. Yes definitely the people and not it’s cronies

    26
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    Mute Timo
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    Nov 17th 2023, 11:07 AM

    Government meeting to reduce road deaths but vote let this chemical slowly kill those and everything that come in close contact with it.

    21
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    Mute Timo
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    Nov 17th 2023, 11:02 AM

    They know this chemical kills everything. .kill more for another 10 years.
    Who’s paying them off

    19
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    Mute BL Music
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    Nov 17th 2023, 1:16 PM

    It goes to show how useless and ineffective the Green Party are . They are more influenced by corporations than issues which threaten the environment

    13
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    Mute offside again
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    Nov 17th 2023, 12:39 PM

    How do people think we produce so much food that studies show ; consumers throw away 1/3 of the food they buy (not everyone obviously).
    How different it was back in the day !
    Parsnips and turnips ..
    We need to be having a different conversation seriously

    6
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    Mute John Moore
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    Nov 17th 2023, 5:13 PM

    Money, money, money money, money. That’s what it’s all about. Basically we are continuing to use a chemical that most probably causes cancer because it is cost effective to use in agriculture. That’s the long and short of what is happening here. Basically that it’s worth the risk. Same thing for the climate really. There are billions possibly trillions in fossil fuels lying in the ground. They won’t be left there as the people with the rights to it want the money that it represents. It will leave much of the planet uninhabitable. That’s how greedy many people are. But they will be sorry in the end.

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    Mute Jb Walshe
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    Nov 17th 2023, 10:47 PM

    Puska should be getting some of this in his food regularly to make his existence miserable

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    Mute Seanfhear míshásta
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    Nov 17th 2023, 7:33 PM

    AI can kill weeds with lasers. This is completely unnecessary.

    2
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