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

What about the vested interests challenge? Even within farming, there are competing interests and it is very hard to get a single position or a way forward. There are even more competing interests in politics. I am sure the different farming organisations gave the assembly a different view on what the right way forward is. There is quite a difference between the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association and the IFA, which might broadly represent a larger and more mainstream cohort. Unless we get buy-in from farming generally, tackle vested interests - they are not just in farming, as it is only one example - dispel the false narratives and have an honest debate about what is happening and what is required, it will be very hard to make any inroads in this area. What do the witnesses think about this? Perhaps it is for Mr. Joyce or Ms Jones to tell us what they think because their perspective is that of ordinary citizens who, prior to becoming involved in the citizens' assembly, would have been at the mercy of these tropes, arguments and narratives. I presume their perspectives might have changed based on the presentations the assembly heard and the discussions it had. I would be very interested to hear their take.