Noel Coonan (Tipperary North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the delegation and thank it for the submissions. I am interested in balance. There is a great opportunity for Ireland to increase production of quality food. Given that we are an island nation that produces practically natural, organic food, does the delegation think there is a proper balance here? Most of the submissions made to date seem to target agriculture and the need for significant reductions in emissions relating to the agricultural sector. I am concerned about balance. Taking on board all those measures means that the overall effect will be minuscule in respect of carbon emissions. The opposite is that we can produce and export quality food, which is what this country needs at the moment. A total of 98% of what we produce is exported. When one takes on board the carbon footprint involved in bringing beef from Brazil and the damage done to the Amazon rain forest, does the delegation think enough is being done internationally and within Europe? What is the delegation's reaction to the various groups which come in here and strive for utopia in this field?

Are we killing the goose that laid the golden egg?