Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am glad to get the opportunity to say a few words here to support agriculture in general because, as we all know too well, if agriculture is in decline the country is in decline. It is important to remember, when we are talking about climate change and getting rid of diesel cars and diesel vehicles, that we create €5 billion worth of exports from agriculture. We need to respect that and ensure that we at least retain that amount because farmers are put to the pin of their collars. Farmers have to fight everything, including the weather. It is grand to say now that dairy farmers are prospering but it is only a year and a half since they were in trouble. In 2016, they were not getting for a gallon of milk what it cost them to produce it.

As Mr. Kent stated here, it is important to remember that food comes from the land. It is equally important that it comes from our land. We have a wonderful climate and for the best part, wonderful land to produce cattle, milk and food generally. We are worried, as many farmers are, that we will lose some of our market with Britain leaving the Common Market. Will it be the case that the beef, milk or whatever foods we were supplying to Britain will come from other countries and where will we be? Will it be grand that our production will be reduced then and we will be in trouble?

In the overall context, as I stated here earlier this evening, these are important discussions. That is why I returned here. I watched the proceedings in my office - I was trying to do other things as well as listening to the witnesses. They all, Mr. Mulvihill, Ms Westbrook, Professor O'Mara and Mr. Kent, made valuable points. I did not hear others and if anyone else spoke, I apologise in that regard.

It is important to remember that in the overall context if we in this country were clear of all emissions we would only reduce the emissions of the world by 0.13%. Therefore, 99.8% of emissions are coming from the rest of the world. Agriculture is such a big part of our country. It always has been and, hopefully, it always will be. We must do our best to protect that part of our economy.

People are worried out there. They hear that they have to get rid of diesel cars. It is only a few years since they were told buying diesel cars was the thing to do. That was in 2007. I refer to heavy machinery. I hear commentators saying that carbon tax will have to be increased on diesel and the price of diesel will have to increase but that is what lorries, tractors and agricultural vehicles run on.

Are we going to penalise these people and drive them underground? They are in a bad enough situation as it is and they are worried about Brexit, with Theresa May talking out of the two sides of her mouth, one day saying there will be a soft Border and another that there will be a hard Border. When the UK voted to leave the European Union I suggested in the Dáil that they reconsider and hold another referendum. That would lead to the only result that would help Irish farmers and our small industries, which have already been affected by the decline in the value of sterling.

It is important to remember that our food comes from the land. Many people in the city might think milk is made down the street and comes out of a bottle, without a cow having to be milked, and they could be the very people who say farmers hurt the environment. They drink milk, eat meat and put butter on their bread but then they say we need to do more about climate change. There was climate change before there was a combustion engine or were as many cows as we now have. In the Dáil, the Taoiseach said that the snow of the past few days was the worst event in 70 years but I disagree with him as we have had several such events, such as in 1982 which lasted for three weeks and when, in parts of my county, people did not come out of their houses. My father remembered 1947 and I will tell a story about it.