Susan O'Keeffe (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the delegates for bringing clarity to an enormous body of work. As Deputy Thomas Pringle suggested, we would probably have to lock ourselves in this room for a week to do justice to their research, but we will start where we can. The global soil challenges are big issues, but there is no mention of the almost 1 billion people we currently fail to feed. That is important to be put on the map alongside all of the other important matters.

Deputy Willie Penrose referred to wanting Ireland to inform the EU directive. I agree that Ireland should play a role in this regard. Are the delegates having to fight their way into that process or insert themselves into it? Why would we not be invited to become involved? Surely the European Commission would have an interest in what we and others might have to say. I wonder, therefore, where we stand in terms of our European counterparts. The soil map of Ireland is welcome, but we are late to the table in developing it.

In regard to Food Harvest 2020 and what is imaginatively being called harvest 2025 - that is for politicians to ensure we do not get too confused - do the delegates think the body of work they have produced is compatible with these strategies? Do they also need to insert themselves into that debate and, if so, how much support can we offer them?

My final question is whether the cattle on the page are bugged. I observe that they are wired.