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

I thank our guests for attending. I particularly welcome Mr. Hourigan, who is from Limerick. It is a wonder that either of us made it to the meeting, given the celebrations in recent days with Limerick winning the All-Ireland hurling final. It is good to be here and to have our guests here.

I am hearing divergence between the three guests who have contributed on the issue of the natural process, methane cycle or carbon cycle. Mr. Hourigan stated that it is inherently net zero because methane that is produced by ruminant livestock ultimately gets broken down into CO2 in the atmosphere and that CO2 is then absorbed by the grass growth which is then consumed by the livestock. I do not think that is what Professor Allen is saying. I am interested to hear his comments on this. As I understand what he said, there has been an effect of increased methane in the building up of the herd in recent decades in the context of global warming. There seems to be divergence in that regard, and that methane matters. We know methane is the same molecule whether it comes from an animal, is leaked from a fracking well in the United States or whatever. It is the same molecule, but the argument is that the methane that comes from agriculture is part of this natural process and, ultimately, should be accounted for separately.