Three quarters of Irish people want alternatives to chemical pesticides

Three in four Irish people want pesticides phased out, according to a new Europe-wide poll.

Pesticide Action Network Europe carried out a poll of citizens across multiple EU countries to gauge public attitudes to pesticides.

Pesticides are chemical agents that can be used to prevent, kill or control pests; these pests can include things like fungi, rodents, bacteria and insects.

The poll was done to gauge opinions on the use of pesticides in the context of the Food and Feed Safety Omnibus proposals.

With regard to Irish respondents, 73% said most or all pesticides should be phased out or replaced by alternatives.

Seventy-six per cent of Irish respondents said that health impact should be a top priority, which was the highest response of any European Country.

Along with this, almost half of Irish respondents said that the companies that manufacture the pesticides should bear the additional cost to society.

Bernie Connolly, The Environmental Forum and PAN Europe member, said: “The Irish presidency is definitely not serving the wishes of the Irish people nor that of the average EU citizen. The problematic Pesticide Omnibus proposal should be ditched and replaced by some very clear steps instead. Organise a fast lane for biocontrol products - with a thorough safety check - and make sure that the most toxic pesticides will be banned in the near future.