Kate O'Connell (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

They are potentially trapping carbon at a greater rate than particular species of large trees, for which carbon credits are granted. I wonder about this. I have no vested interest, but I become really concerned when I see such differences. Who is gaining? I am not suggesting anyone here is, but why are farmers being encouraged to plant a particular type of tree when so many metres of hedges are doing the same job? Who makes the decision? Is it the people who are making money out of the planting of trees? I am not referring to farmers but to the investment people who are waiting on them to grow. No one would make a capital return on a hedge in County Kilkenny, but it absorbs carbon, which is what I thought this was all about.

We export about 90% of our agri-products to other countries in Europe, including the United Kingdom, and further afield. Something occurred to me about that, about which I might be wrong. As I did not know about this meeting, I was under some pressure to prepare for it. I refer to oil imported from Saudi Arabia. Oil imported from Saudi Arabia is taxed in Ireland. In a similar vein, should it not be the eater, rather than the producer, who pays the carbon tax on food? People in Saudi Arabia drill the oil out of the ground and it is then brought here.

I understand that the fumes from the fuel go into the air and the fumes from the production of agricultural products are going the other way. Who decides on the difference between the two products? Who thought that was a good idea? In terms of environmental impact, would it not make sense to charge the lad who wants the expensive steak that costs a great deal to produce?