Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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This is the most important challenge in respect of the future direction the country takes with regard to its agri-industry. It is a major challenge. We wanted to invite the witnesses to appear to establish a well of knowledge. Resource efficiency and balance are the key issues. The diagram showing the same number of animals and the same amount of feed, with extra food at the end, is the optimum. If we can do that and use science and good management practices to do it, then we can argue the case about trading. We can ask what is the point in us not increasing our production in an area we happen to be good at just to achieve a percentage reduction in overall output, when other countries can to other things better than we can. There should be a certain level of re-evaluation, without compromising it. Our 20-20-20 targets need to be looked at in that light. The question is what to use to factor in mitigating allowances against energy, bioenergy and off-land wind energy. That is a hot topic but it is a land-based use while hydroelectric energy is a river-based use. Science and management will form a key part of this.

The project will take longer than the lifetime of this Dáil. It would be worth the time of the committee to see a host farm in the south east. We have a proposal to see a host farm for another reason. We could do worse than go to Kildalton to gather information. Trial work on forestry is also being done there. It is taught in the college and some information may be available. We could do worse than see what they are scoping out.

I thank the members. Although not many committee members were present, the questions show there is interest. We cannot overestimate the subject for the future of because we have put great stock in Food Harvest 2020, to be followed rapidly by food harvest 2025. We must also deal with the other issues. Perhaps the witnesses can make the slides available to us.