Mr. Bill Callanan:

It will undoubtedly be a particularly significant challenge for us I thank the Senators and Deputies for their level of engagement today, which is itself evidence of the challenge that lies before us when it comes to ensuring that food production is maintained and developed on the one hand while we deliver on our environmental ambitions and credentials on the other. Today's debate was evidence of how we are trying to achieve these multiple objectives and where it is that the balance lies. I assure the Deputies and Senators that the balancing of these two ambitions exercises us and is set out in Food Wise 2025. The committee has the Department's commitment to try to achieve that balance by communicating the positive messages we have on our production systems, while also conveying responsibility and leadership in charting the way forward for farmers and for the agriculture sector in general to meet these twin ambitions. This is something on which we are particularly focused.