Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Callanan and the other speakers for the opening statements. Through Ag Climatise and the marginal abatement cost curve, MACC , agriculture is one of the only sectors with a credible roadmap on paper. There is a roadmap to follow. There will be challenges in ensuring that what is in that roadmap achieves the reductions we need but at least it is there and that has to be acknowledged.

Through all these discussions about reductions in emissions, land use was the elephant in the room, in terms of what could be achieved by proper land use and reducing emissions. Even on the current trajectory, land use could still be an emitter, which is difficult to fathom.

We have a target in the climate action plan for afforestation rates of 8,000 ha. We are coming nowhere close to that. We are in the midst of a climate crisis and a biodiversity crisis. What will we do to tackle the fact afforestation rates are on a downward trajectory? They are going in the wrong direction. It is scandalous given the situation we find ourselves in. I would like to hear a concrete answer on that.