Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

We have heard four very strong presentations. Mr. Duffy of Macra na Feirme stated farmers were the custodians of the countryside and, in essence, the real environmentalists. That is a very pertinent point to make in response to the critics of the farming sector on all of these issues.

My first question is to Mr. Healy of the IFA. He made a really strong point about Mercosur. We are being asked - arguably rightly so - by a European Commissioner to address our responsibilities to reduce greenhouse gases and carbon emissions. At the same time, however, another European Commissioner is negotiating with countries and a region that clearly are not meeting these standards. We are asking farmers on this island and elsewhere in Europe to step up and meet standards that the other countries are not being asked to meet. I know that Mr. Healy has been involved in significant negotiations in that respect. What are the European Commissioners saying in response to the very valid criticism that there are clear double standards at play? What is their response whenever the IFA raises these issues?

My next question is also directed at Mr. Healy.