Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank our guests. I did not think Professor Boyle and I would meet again. I wished him well in his upcoming retirement last time he was here and I continue to wish him well in his upcoming retirement. I am not sure if he will be back before us before then but we will see. I also welcome Dr. Ryan and Mr. Brennan.

Professor Boyle said the resources Teagasc is putting into organic represent three times the current value of the sector. That may be the case but the resources should reflect where we need to go as a country, whether 7.5% or greater than that. Many here suggest we should aim far higher than that. We are at 2% and aiming for 7.5%, while other countries are pushing way beyond us, including countries that perhaps do not have the competitive advantage we have in this area. In Brittany and Normandy in France, the dairy sector is at 11%, 12% or 13% organic. Denmark and Austria are over 20%.

What is feasible, given what other countries are doing and given our competitive advantage? Our expertise is there, built over many decades and generations. This is a no-brainer. We need to get into organic for all kinds of good reasons, not least climate, but also rural regeneration, farm incomes and so on. I would like the opinions of our guests on what is realistic. What should the target be? Do we need a new organic action plan?

I chair the climate committee and this morning we had Macra na Feirme in.

Its representatives spoke about organic farming and its potential. We also had Dr. Oliver Moore from University College Cork, UCC, appear before us. He said the current action plan is not fit for purpose. Are we being too cautious? I do not understand why Ireland is lagging behind and why we cannot quickly accelerate the proportion of farming that is organic. Dr. Ryan made a helpful comment, which was that whole-system change is required. That generally is the case when we want to do something quite radical. What is required to bring about system change in order that we fulfil our potential in this area?