Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A lot of my questions have been asked and answered. I turn in particular to the very difficult situation that our beef farmers are in. It is very much the case that they are responding to Government policy in terms of Food Wise 2025. They have been implementing environmental measures, including those that would see a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Notwithstanding all of that, every other week agriculture and farming seems to get hammered in the media. It would make one fearful about what price we are going pay in respect of measures to counter climate change.

It would make one fearful about what price will be paid on our part for measures to counter climate change.

Mr. Hayes stated that while his Department is defending agriculture and doing its best, and that the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, is very important, there is another concern that there could be a reduced payment to farmers. Many farmers in beef, especially suckler farmers, would not make any money except for farm payments. We can add Brexit and depressed prices to that. Fundamentally, there is a bigger issue, notwithstanding the fact that the witness welcomed the proposals under CAP to address issues like climate change, biodiversity and water quality. Farmers would be paid for these and it would represent a so-called greening of the CAP.

There have been reports, most recently in The Lancet, that question the order of farming. There will always be challenges and we must listen to them but what position does this put farmers in? We all recognise in our discussions the importance of carbon efficiency in farming and the room and willingness required to improve. Under the Paris Agreement, we will get no recognition for that. A carbon-efficient farmer in our country will not get any particular recognition, although he or she may get payments in the new CAP and so on. Nevertheless, we are not being recognised for what we bring to the table. One interesting point in The Lancetreport is that food is beyond a technology matter. As human beings, we need food in the form of protein and balanced diets. We all accept that. One of the proposals was that we would seek to have a Paris-type food discussion to get to the bottom of this. As I stated, there does not seem to be recognition for what we are doing. If we pull out of producing a certain type of food, somebody else who is less carbon-efficient could fill the gap in the market.

If there is a genuine concern about addressing the matter, it must be done at a global level. We must look at food waste and biodiversity beyond the generality of the Paris Agreement. It could only serve us well and at least we would get a fair chance at fighting our corner. Professor Gerry Boyle in Teagasc has stated there is inconsistency or incongruity in the trajectory under Food Wise 2025 for the increase in the national herd and our greenhouse gas emissions. It remains the elephant in the room. It does not seem that our interest or what we have been about here is very well protected. As I stated, there is no special recognition for the effort that has been made.

How are the negotiations with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment? Will the witness be quite specific about that? For a long time we have been hearing generalities and arguments that we must do something, efforts must be made or we will play our part. What is that going to look like? Is the Department negotiating particular ceilings for production targets? What is the blueprint looking like arising from those discussions? What practical negotiations have taken place and what is the current position? What will be the next steps? What does all this mean for farmers? It is a very confusing and frustrating time for them. A number of colleagues have mentioned that because prices are so depressed, many young people will not want to get involved anyway. There are many issues to be dealt with and there are many questions as well. We must stand up and be counted. If we are to stand behind our comments on agriculture and food production, we must fight boldly and be proud of the food we produce in this country.