Mr. David Healy:

First, I will put on my Oxfam hat when commenting on the issue of food security. It is important to emphasise that Irish agricultural production and exports are not connected to the issue of food security or insecurity in developing countries. They are supplying a different market. In the countries in which there is a serious food insecurity problem, in India and Africa, the people who suffer from food insecurity are not in the market for Irish beef, butter or dairy products. The food exports are feeding a middle class demand, but they are not connected to the food insecurity of local people whose diet comprises grains, pulses and vegetables, local agricultural conditions and local markets. The connection with developed countries lies in their demand for grains, in particular, which is driven by the demand for biofuels and animal fodder. These demands from developed countries have an impact on food security in developing countries.

Wearing my "green pillar" hat, we argue that agricultural policy in Ireland needs to be re-examined in the context of its impact on climate change and also in the context of the impact climate change is having and will have on agricultural production. A researcher from Maynooth has recently put together the evidence which is that the changes in terms of a wetter West and a drier East will have implications for the economic advantages in terms of what should be grown and the associated risks. We would like to see that research integrated into the Food Harvest 2020 analysis.

I wish to make a point on water, as I understand some of the Deputies are concerned about Irish Water. Our great concern is that Irish Water is being set up and not taking the water framework directive into account. We have legal obligations at European level to introduce quite significant governance changes in order to meet the obligations under the water framework directive to ensure good water quality by 2015 and later in some places. A great deal of work must be done in order to achieve this. The structures were set up in order to produce the plans, but they have not been maintained. There is no sign of their being incorporated into the new Irish Water structures. We have obligations, but we will end up in trouble with the Commission and the European Court of Justice if we do not meet these obligations. We are charging ahead with major reforms and not taking these environmental responsibilities into account.

The diversity in performance of local authorities and local community development structures in an environmental sense is positive as it means that there are positive as well as negative examples from which we can learn. Similarly, Deputy Catherine Murphy's point on the nominating process and diversity of input is key. What we need is diversity to have voices come into the discussion, as that would help us to move forward more effectively. As drafted, the nominating process seems to be almost entirely in the gift of one person per county, which we do not consider appropriate. The nominating process must be participative, transparent and inclusive. We hope committee members will find some way to bring forward amendments in that regard.