Mr. Joe Healy:

Every €5 per tonne in carbon tax costs the sector €8 million. That will give Deputy Deering an idea of it.

On the second part of the Deputy's question, Irish farm incomes are always a problem. We have fought for many years to ensure that the deal with Mercosur is not done. We have listened to European politicians tell Irish farmers to get real about climate change and at the same time they are trying to push through deals between Europe and countries such as Brazil, the efficiency of whose farmers is four times less than ours. The figures show that it takes 18 kg of CO2 to produce 1 kg of beef across Europe and it takes 80 kg of CO2 to produce 1 kg of beef in Brazil. That shows what we need to do.

We have stated clearly that climate change is not only an Irish issue. Listening to some commentators in this country, one would imagine that it is only an Irish issue. We heard Mr. Donnellan talk about the increase in demand for food and the increase in the population in the future. There will be increased demand for protein products and dairy and beef are strong protein products. If we are not producing the dairy and beef here in Ireland, which is recognised as the most carbon-efficient producer of dairy product and in the top five in Europe, to satisfy the extra demand, it will be produced in a less efficient country. From where I stand, that goes against improving climate change and carbon emissions. The point needs to be put across strongly that food should be produced in the countries where it is most efficient to do so, particularly if there is demand there for it.