Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome our guests and congratulate them for their presentation. It is very necessary at the present time. We have spoken about this many times in the committee recently, particularly on proposals we seem to be in a mad rush to adopt without having regard to the consequences. I congratulate the witnesses for their submission and the manner in which they have articulated it. It is hugely important. It is time for the farming community and other people involved in the development and promotion of the economy to be alert to what may happen. I do not want to see a situation, which happened in the sugar beet industry, where it was gone overnight. It was sold as a bonus to the farming community and it was said that farmers would get €179 million between them. That did not work out and, of course, we now know that a technique employed by Brussels and elsewhere is the carrot, to encourage people to go for a buy-out or reduction. I point to the sudden development in the forestry industry. I agree that we need forestry, do not get me wrong. It is an important way of absorbing carbon, and not just native deciduous species either. We do whatever must be done to grow whatever we grow. I have reservations about the use of productive agricultural land, which will be taken out of production lines and turned over to forestry. While the theory is that the farming community can live off forestry in terms of income, after 40 years or so, we cannot eat trees and we cannot eat wood. I warn of a food shortage in the not-too-distant future. The European Union was formed initially to ensure there was not a food shortage in Europe. Sometimes, we seem to lose track of that. That was the original reason. It worked very well. Now, with the war in Ukraine, and other wars all over the globe, there will be greater demand for food. The more serious we are in our intentions to retain the maximum amount of land available for beef, dairy and cereals, we had better recognise that there will be a shortage. It will come very quickly, when we least expect it. I strongly support the points made by the speakers and assure them we will proceed in a helpful and supportive manner.

In turn, we will look for their support in drawing attention to the needs that are apparently in the arena right now. We do not have to wait to see developments. They are already happening. I do not want to go into the details other than to say that I have already sent the submissions I received this morning off to the relevant Departments. We will keep the committee posted.