Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to add to that, and to back up what the Chair said. In some of the CAP programmes there is recognition, perhaps, of our unique landscape features and our hedgerows and trees. They are across the country but especially in the part of the country I come from. However, that is no longer enough. At one time there was a recognition of that. It has to be from the perspective of sequestering carbon. If it is not, it will be impossible to bring farmers on board, certainly in the part of the country I come from where there are suckler farmers, sheep farmers and the like. They are all part of the greater whole of agricultural production. Saying to farmers that their emissions will be counted without counting the sequestration of carbon on farms is essentially unfair. If our guests were asked to operate that system in their jobs, they would say they could not do it, that it is not fair and that it is not a system that will work. It is the very same for farmers if our guests are going to talk about doing this at farm level. I want to add my voice to that very strong argument.