Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important we see the basis of choices that are being made. I will ask specifically about carbon farming. We will hear from Ms Egan later on this, but if it is case we are running to €1,000 per tonne in some of the other sectors where we need to abate carbon, is the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine looking at measures that would see some of that extraordinary high cost in other sectors deployed to deliver some, albeit very challenging, changes in agriculture? It does not seem to me that we are yet looking at rewarding for methane management. There is no price on methane that would give farmers an incentive. Most farmers want to see their bottom line being healthy and a prosperous family farm in ten years' time. They worry about herd restrictions among other things. If we had a new dimension that was properly funded, and would be justifiable in preventing other sectors having to undertake very difficult changes, we would have a different type of debate. How far down the road is the Department in being able to verify farm emissions and then reward management in whatever way farmers choose to deliver the improvements?