Mr. Trevor Donnellan:

Taking the particular example about which the Senator is talking, it is not, but in a general sense it possibly is. There is an issue in Ireland with fertiliser use in the sense that farmers probably do not place as much emphasis as they should on soil testing from an economic point of view. It will identify issues such as pH level and the requirement to use lime. There is a general issue in Ireland owing to not enough lime being applied to agricultural land. The consequence is that fertiliser is less effective than it could be. Lime is not particularly expensive and having the right pH level can actually reduce the amount of fertiliser required. I do not believe it is particularly challenging for farmers to understand, but at the same time we would like many more farmers to engage in soil testing. It is an area in which progress certainly needs to be made.

The question on the sequestration levels associated with grass and forestry is more scientific and beyond my personal remit. As I am coming from an economic background, I cannot answer it for the Senator, but we may be able to follow up on it in written correspondence.