Paul Daly (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have some short questions which I would like each group to answer. The farmers of Ireland are the custodians of the environment. That is our starting point. The people present at this meeting represent them. This is a major issue, no matter where one goes, in every sector of society. What kinds of ideas are coming from the meetings? Are the farmers - I am one, so I cannot be criticised for saying this - simply saying that they are farmers, they will keep farming, and how can they do anything when they are not making money? Alternatively, are they making any suggestions as to how they can turn it to an advantage? We sell our food and agricultural products all over the world as being green. Were we to add carbon efficient approved to that, could we turn that to our advantage? What feedback have the organisations present received from their members on this?

At the first meeting of this committee there was agreement across the board that whatever decision we made would have to encompass all parties from a political perspective, and whatever suggestions would be made would transfer from Government to Government. We are in agreement on that. How well are the different sectors communicating about what everyone can do collectively into the future to improve the situation? This is a global issue. The majority of the grain feed coming into this country comes in on boats from Russia, which is a massive global footprint, yet according to our own report, although it is obvious to anyone, our tillage farmers are on their knees. As people in the sector, will the witnesses give us an idea of how we can overcome that type of issue, where we would cut out the carbon footprint of the imports, which are transported across the world and help the tillage sector by using home-grown feed? In a product for which we are world famous, Guinness, over 50% of the grain in Guinness is not Irish. The farmers would love that it was, naturally, but how can we overcome these things and turn them to our advantage so that we turn the red into the black and at the same time turn green?

What relationships do the organisations present have with other organisations outside farming in the community? It comes back to the co-operatives and where they were started by the farmers. There was a whole community buy-in and effort. If farmers were providing slurry, grass or whatever to an anaerobic digestion plant that was providing district heating into communities, the us and them aspect suddenly goes, everyone is united and happy, and it is much easier to get a buy-in to the problem. What initiatives can the groups present come up with rather than waiting to see what the committee arrives at?