US embassy cable - 05DUBLIN53

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUBLIN 000053 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAGR, EAID, SENV, TBIO 
SUBJECT: ACCESS TO GENETIC RESOURCES AND BENEFIT SHARING: 
IRELAND 
 
REF: 04 STATE 269625 
 
1.  The information in paras below is based on Post's 
discussion of reftel questions with Dr. Philip Buckley, the 
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) national focal point 
for Ireland.  Buckley has been the Director of the Heritage 
Policy Division in the Department of Environment and Local 
Government.  This month, however, he will leave that post and 
cede his responsibility as Ireland's CBD focal point to 
Patrick Gernon in the National Parks and Wildlife Service 
(e-mail: pgernon@duchas.ie; phone: 353-1-647-3000).  Buckley 
observed that, generally, Ireland's procedures for access to 
genetic resources and benefit sharing are not well developed. 
 In most cases, approvals and permits are considered on a 
case-by-case basis after researchers/importers/exporters have 
personally corresponded with designated GOI 
points-of-contact. 
 
Legislation and Regulation for Biological Resources 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
 
2.  In Ireland, there is no specific law pertaining to the 
research and collection of biological resources.  To obtain a 
permit to collect biological specimens, a researcher must 
contact the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), a 
national-level agency within the Department of the 
Environment and Local Government (address: 7 Ely Place, 
Dublin 2, Ireland; phone: 353-1-647-2300; e-mail: 
natureconservation@environ.ie).  NPWS will provide a form to 
be filled out in connection with the inquirer's planned 
research and will determine whether to issue a permit on the 
basis of the information submitted.  Terms and conditions 
addressing the concept of mutually agreed terms are currently 
not included in the research permit. 
 
Movement of Biological Specimens 
-------------------------------- 
 
3.  Permits are required to export and import species that 
are listed as protected under Ireland's Wildlife Acts of 1976 
and 2000.  Export/import permits can be obtained from the 
NPWS.  (All bird species are protected.)  If the species is 
not protected, there are no conditions on export or import 
other than the normal sanitary and phyto-sanitary 
requirements.  The Department of Agriculture and Food (DAF) 
determines whether a sanitary/phytosanitary certificate is 
required for the import of animals and plants.  The DAF 
point-of-contact is Tom Teehan (e-mail: 
tom.teehan@agriculture.gov.ie; fax: 353-1-661-6263). 
Prospective importers of plants must inform DAF as to the 
variety of plant, the botanical name, the amount of plant 
material to be imported, and the country of origin. 
 
Mutually Agreed Terms and/or Use of Genetic Resources 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
4.  There is no specific law relating to the negotiation of 
mutually agreed terms to and/or use of genetic resources. 
For wildlife, the responsible government agency is the NPWS. 
For plant resources, the responsible agency is the National 
Botanic Gardens (address: Glasnevin, Dublin 9; phone: 
353-1-837-7596; e-mail: frontdesk@appletree.ie).  For 
agriculture and forestry, the responsible agency is the 
Department of Agriculture and Food (Kildare Street, Dublin 2; 
phone: 353-1-607-2000; website: www.irlgov.ie/daff).  These 
agencies focus primarily on conservation issues relating to 
genetic resources as opposed to their use, and thus they do 
not differentiate among uses for basic science, commercial 
development, and agricultural research. 
 
Status of MAT and PIC in Host Country 
------------------------------------- 
 
5.  In 2002, the GOI announced a National Biodiversity Plan, 
which included a commitment to prepare a national strategy on 
access to, and sharing of, genetic resources, including the 
development of MAT and PIC regulations and processes.  Action 
on this national strategy has not commenced, however, due in 
part to uncertainty as to which Irish Cabinet Department 
would play the lead role.  Three Departments -- the 
Department of the Environment and Local Government, the 
Department of Enterprise, Trade, and Employment, and the 
Department of Agriculture and Food -- have stakes in the 
national strategy, but have not finalized inter-agency 
working arrangements.  Moreover, the GOI has not identified 
the national authority responsible for negotiating specific 
contracts for providing access to genetic resources for 
either research or commercialization of genetic resources. 
Similarly, the GOI has not designated a national authority as 
responsible for receiving financial benefits from ABS 
contracts. 
 
General Information 
------------------- 
6.  The GOI has not prepared a text of general information 
for foreign researchers seeking to obtain 
research/collection/import/export permits.  There is likewise 
no website dedicated to such information.  Researchers 
seeking this information are advised to e-mail or call the 
points-of-contact cited above. 
KENNY