Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Yes. I thank the Chair for his indulgence. I was at his other committee representing him well, I hope. The agriculture committee met at the same time, so my apologies for being here at short notice.

This amendment is fundamental to the many concerns of some people in our farming community with regard to the outworking of the climate action plan and the Bill. When this Bill is enacted, there will be a need to provide assurances that it is not about tokenism and certainly not about hypocrisy. One way we can provide those assurances is by ensuring we do not expect actions to be taken at a domestic level, the net result of which is damaging to the environment. To put this in a framework that people will understand, there would not be much point in us suggesting that we reduce the production of a certain type of food in Ireland, if the net outworking of that was the importation to the EU of food that was less sustainably produced. People will be aware that there has been much discussion about the Mercosur trade deal, for example. Notwithstanding the Mercosur trade deal, it is a matter of fact that substantial quantities of Brazilian beef already enter the European market. We know there are other types of foods that are produced more sustainably either here in Ireland or in other EU member states. Therefore, the outworking of amendment No. 194 ensures that whatever we do, it does not result in a net increase of global emissions as a result of increased importation to the EU.

In paragraph (g), the amendment proposes a specific reference to the beef sector. There are some concerns in this regard because a substantial amount of the beef produced in Ireland from the suckler herd is among the most sustainably produced beef in the world. It is the prime product for which Ireland is famous. It is important to say that not all beef produced in Ireland meets that high-quality standard. In fact, an increasing amount of the beef which is sold on the basis of the image of our suckler herd is produced within factory-owned feedlots in most instances. This amendment sets forward a mechanism to allow us to ensure that a sustainable product, which is among the most sustainable in the world in relation to beef, is protected, encouraged and facilitated to ensure we do not do something I would regard as utter stupidity. For example, if were to ask for a reduction in our suckler herd in Ireland, the net outworking of that would be an increased level of beef imported from countries like Brazil and other places where the production of that beef warrants the destruction of rainforests. I hope the Minister of State will support this amendment. I ask for the support of this committee.

I would like to make a point in relation to a number of amendments which have been disallowed. They relate to our proposition that the measures in this climate Bill would be assessed to determine their impact on local communities. We need to know the impact on rural, marginalised or peripheral communities as a result of actions taken. Those amendments have been ruled out of order as a result of the budgetary impact they would apparently have. Will the Minister of State consider inserting those amendments into the Bill to ensure, as we have all said, including the Minister of State, that this is not about penalising ordinary workers, families and communities? A full social, economic and rural impact assessment should be carried out on any measures being proposed so that the Government of the day will have the full facts before measures are enacted.