Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. Professor Doohan spoke on energy crops and so on that are successful in other countries. A lot of maize is imported into Ireland. The witnesses are considering crops that may be able to be grown in Ireland to replace that dependence. How far advanced is that work? It would be great if we could reduce the imports of products such as maize.

When I was growing up, we used to put bluestone and carbolic soap or a similar product on potatoes as an ordinary way of preventing potato blight. It was used for cattle and in many different areas of farming. The witnesses discussed going back to using such products. Are products available that will maximise crop production? The cost of inputs is very important, especially if one is growing corn or a similar crop because the cost of spraying on several occasions is a big expense. Are there any products coming onto the market that would solve that? The witnesses' discussion of different types of product is of interest. What is their opinion of Roundup, a product that has been hotly debated in recent times? In my opinion and that of many farmers, if a farmer does not spray with Roundup he or she will have trouble with weeds. Is there a way to ensure the same productivity in terms of tonnage of a crop such as straw while also reducing the input cost? If there is not, how far from such a situation are we?

Do the witnesses have any input into genomic testing in cattle? They indicate that they do. There is a feeling among the many people to whom I have talked about this issue that the beef sector in particular has gone down a road in terms of genomics such that animals are not pulling down the scales when they come from the dairy sector and there is a need to focus back onto cattle breeds that are being thrown to one side such as Charolais and, to a lesser extent, Limousin. When animals are killed they are not pulling down the scales and farmers are losing out even though they are supposed to be doing better because of genomic testing.