Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the UCD research team. I thank its members for the interesting presentation. It is clear that they are involved in cutting-edge work. I commend them and their stakeholders on their work.

It is a great source of pride to most Irish people that we are world leaders when it comes to food and innovation. As others have mentioned, instead of letting it become a twilight industry we have embraced it. We have the necessary roots in it. I am mindful of all the work being done with Irish companies by our guests. It is indigenous work of which we can be proud on the world stage. I know those involved in UCD have to keep working with science and technology and I know that is what they are about.

There has been talk of the dairy industry. The deputation mentioned tillage and soil in the context of getting increasing productivity. To what extent does UCD work with primary producers? In particular, to what extent does UCD work with suckler cow farmers or sheep farmers? It is implicit in talk about the future for young farmers that there seems to be a more upbeat approach in dairy, especially with regard to younger people and the possibilities. Many farmers have small marginal holdings in the west of Ireland. It is not that people are not doing their best. It is not that there is no pride in what people are doing or in their communities. However, it is more challenging. The last winter was extended. Thankfully, it has well evaporated now but it tested many people. I imagine that it made younger people wonder why they would do it.

I will explain why I am asking about the extent to which UCD works with primary producers. Our guests referred to systems and improving production. In the case of diary, UCD is looking at the existing system. The idea is to take what the primary producer produces and then develop by-products to displace plastics made from fossil fuels and so on. To what extent is UCD dependent on the existing system and the fact that the primary producer does not get paid much in the food supply chain?

Is it not the case that the price supports we pursue and that operate under CAP are an integral part of the equation? Is it not the case that UCD is really building on that? If we did not have CAP or price supports and so on, then would the UCD model be completely different? Other than in the abstract, how does UCD address the issues around the price the primary producer is receiving? I know there have been high-level reports and investigations at EU level. However, the reality is that unless we address this, problems will arise. Younger people have more options and they are more educated. They may go into the food industry but perhaps not as primary producers.

Did UCD make submissions on the new CAP to the Commission? Is that part of the role of UCD? Does UCD feed in at that level?

Reference was made to dairy by-products or bio-based alternatives to adhesives and plastics. How does that work with carbon credits? Has that not been considered yet? Of course, farmers and food production keep getting hammered for carbon emissions and carbon efficiency. Is that something that can be credited to farming?

Reference was made to how 30% of the world population is malnourished. Is that the correct figure? I realise that our guests did not go into detail on it. In any event, I understand that more people are probably going to die from obesity than from starvation. There is irony in the fact that in developed countries such as ours, where there is so much emphasis on food and nutrition as well as a great deal of investment in food, people are becoming more obese. While people may be eating more calories and food is more calorific, it is not necessarily nutritious. That is a serious problem for health and well-being. I believe it spills over into mental health as well. Do our guests have any observations on this contradiction? When I go to the supermarket, I can buy processed food far cheaper than anything else. I know we are talking about how to get money to the primary producer but food such as that to which I refer is generally cheaper. More nutritious food seems to be more expensive. We have heard in evidence at other sessions of the growing market for organic food and that people are prepared to pay more. However, it seems only people of a particular socioeconomic background are taking that on. There seems to be many people left behind. What we eat and what we put into our bodies is part of living. Notwithstanding the work of UCD, it seems that we are being pulled back. A sugar tax was imposed in respect of pop drinks and so on in an attempt to combat the problem but it is clearly an issue. I am aware that sugar is addictive.

We find ourselves in an interesting state of affairs where we cannot stop eating once we start or are eating the wrong food and so on.