Christopher O'Sullivan (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This has a further reaching impact on biodiversity. I was trying to get an answer on the solution and I am not debating the science.

Concerning the overall impact on biodiversity in an area of west Cork, I think there are unintended consequences. I gave the example of a farmer with 60 or 70 cows who, generally, is a one-person operation, is sustainable, and does everything right regarding phosphorous and potassium and storage, etc. However, because of this and because of the reduction in numbers, their operation becomes unviable. It leads to a situation in which that farmer is bought out by bigger, more intensive farms. There is such pressure now on land because of the stocking rate and stocking limit, and there is no tillage in west Cork. Areas that have biodiversity richness and may have bits of scrub or are good for breeding birds, etc., are now being bought or leased by bigger farmers and there is a more expansive spread of perennial ryegrass, which, as we know, has very little biodiversity value, and because-----