Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Ms Justice Laffoy and the Citizens' Assembly. It is fantastic that we have such a clear and strong position taken by the assembly on the need to tackle climate change. This has become much more topical, particularly in the media, and it is an issue about which people are talking. It should not be viewed as entirely negative because with the right investment in the right technologies, it can provide economic opportunities. Furthermore, we have not been living in a sustainable way and now we have the opportunity to develop new systems and new ways of living that are more desirable in the context of the future of the planet. All of that is really good. However, like previous speakers, I am concerned about the farming community in particular. There was quite a negative reaction to the report from many farmers and farming organisations and to be honest, I do not blame them. The Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine, which completed a report on climate change and what might be done about it, is present.

In terms of the deliberations of the assembly, farmers feel that fair consideration was not given to their position. They are at the coalface in the context of climate change. They are dealing with it right now. We had an emergency meeting yesterday on the fodder shortage. People have to eat. We want to eat and to have our food produced in the most carbon efficient way possible. We are leaders in dairy in that regard and we want to do better in beef. Farmers, as primary producers, are on such small margins and the idea of another carbon tax being slapped on them is very daunting, particularly in the west where one is talking about very marginal farms. It seems that all of that did not go into the mix. Farmers are members of the public and are crucial players in tackling climate change. In the course of our deliberations, we heard that staff in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine who deal with the climate change requirements, objectives and goals were not consulted by the assembly. I know that experts were brought in but I feel that the assembly was not given a complete picture. I know that there were time constraints and I acknowledge that Ms Justice Laffoy has said that there could have been much more discussion.

I am also concerned about the recommendation on the prioritisation of public transport over roads by a ratio of two to one. That sounds fine but no major roads were built in the west or the north-west during the Celtic tiger period. There is a massive infrastructural deficit in terms of roads in that region, which is now crying out for investment. We are hoping that under Project Ireland 2040 this investment will be delivered. I know this is only a recommendation and people are trying their best but this highlights to me the extent of the rural, urban divide. It also highlights a lack of understanding of what is required for sustainable living in rural Ireland. The west is not just a game reserve. This is also related to the habitats directive - which we are not dealing with here today - which is also impeding the development of infrastructure in rural Ireland right now. I hope that we get a chance to look at this as a committee because it is another dimension to the debate that we need to examine.

I would like to see practical measures introduced that take on board agriculture, business and other concerns and bring stakeholders along rather than putting them off by telling them that they should not eat meat and should not do this, that or the other. We are selling food to 180 countries and are producing that food as carbon efficiently as we can. In the context of the new Common Agricultural Policy, more will be asked of farmers in terms of water quality, biodiversity and climate change. Farmers seem to be easy targets, which is a concern of mine.