Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Not necessarily. Research is evolving very quickly here. We are conducting significant research at the moment as regards the capacity for feed additives to significantly reduce methane emissions. For example, the research which has been conducted can show in-house systems that can potentially reduce methane by up to 30%. Obviously, we are mostly pasture-based. That is being considered as to how that might work or evolve at pasture level. A couple of years ago, however, that was not on the radar to the same extent at all. That research and the potential of that is rapidly evolving, likewise genetic improvement. The latter is a slower burner but can make a difference too.

There are options, and we have to be aware of that because, overall, when we look at this and the past few years, the challenge and the impact of climate are making it much more difficult to produce food in this country at times, in terms of the more extreme weather events, but particularly in more climate-vulnerable countries. It is important that those countries that are fortunate enough to be able to produce food maximise their capacity to do that, while reducing the emissions footprint of how they produce it. Any step which will see food production reduced is something we have to think very carefully about before adopting.