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

There is another area that we need to look at. I distinctly remember when the financial crash happened that some member states pointed the finger in our direction and intimated that we were the root cause of the financial crash. We contributed to it, no doubt, but so did a number of other states, both big and small. We were isolated and the blame game started, even though other states were equally culpable and some had contributed more to the destruction of the financial system we had.

On the question of climate change and emissions, I agree that we must find the means to address them but what I worry about most is the fact that in some areas of Europe, there is pushback, particularly in the food production sector. I refer to areas that are famous for their factory farms and beef lots, all of which contribute hugely to emissions. Indeed, they contribute much more than we do. I do not see any of them closing down or reducing their output but at the same time we hear on a daily basis here that we have to cut down or reduce our emissions. Others, apparently, do not have to reduce their emissions at all. At the same time, economists and experts of all descriptions tell us that we can pay the producers by another route but it is not about that. It is about world food shortages, which are many and varied. Nothing will take root as quickly as famine, particularly in war-torn areas. We see that daily on our televisions. It is an issue on which I would like to be reassured. I do not want us to be the only ones to make the sacrifices because that could happen.