Flat.. or Round? - For and against Science
For and against Science? This is apparently the image presented at the Global Irish Economic Forum by Green Minister Eamonn Ryan who on the one hand wants to promote Green technology but on the other hand wants to have Ireland declared a country where all food items linked to GM will be banned.
Not only does this appear to be impractical but it also seriously detracts from Ireland’s reputation as a country that is open to scientific research in all fields of research and development.
When so much of our economy today rests on exploring all aspects and branches of scientific research and development- and more relevantly the appliance of science, it is baffling to see the logic underlying the green party ministers proposals.
Why should one aspect or application of science be more or less deserving of merit than another?
Given the increase in the human population in the past twenty years alone, climate changes leading to less and less useable land given over to agriculture, crops will need to be hardier and different kinds of crops will need to be developed to meet just some of these challenges.
To take a dubious moral high ground that seeks to ignore and discredit a complete strand of science and the scientific and practical benefits of genetically modified foods is ignorant and shortsighted. Worse it is stating to the Scientific World that we do not understand the very basis of science and do not have any credibility in claiming to be a progressive and pro-scientfic country.
GM research and development (R&D)has real scientific merit and the potential to create jobs where this country desperately needs them.
If we declare Ireland a GM free zone, then also we deny reality and pass opportunity to our competitors who will surely reap the rewards. We will also contribute further to the brain drain that is becoming more and more a threat to the Irish Scientific Research community.
But perhaps science and reason will yet prevail- after all there was a time when people believed the Earth was flat…
