Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 22 June 2021

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action

Reduction of Carbon Emissions of 51% by 2030: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Réada CroninRéada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. Dr. Moore mentioned that organic farms provide 10% to 20% more employment per hectare. Could he outline why that is the case? Also, is there a problem with uptake in the schemes that already exist? Could more be done in that regard? We also hear Irish agriculture's green credentials being promoted as the most efficient at producing milk and beef. How useful are those metrics and are there other metrics for which Dr. Moore could advocate?

I will ask all my questions because I do not know if I will get a chance to come in again later. Are there figures for the carbon abatement potential of the proposals on organics, agroforestry and eco schemes? Are organics or agroforestry considered in Teagasc's marginal abatement cost curve? If not, why is that the case?

I also have a brief question for Macra na Feirme. What is its position on organic farming, given that it provides 10% to 20% more employment per hectare and that it tends to keep younger people in farming and to attract them back to farming?

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