Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 4 December 2018

Select Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine

Estimates for Public Services 2018
Vote 30 - Agriculture, Food and the Marine (Supplementary)

3:00 pm

Photo of Thomas PringleThomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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They are under the heading on context and impact indicators of the programme. According to the document, carbon dioxide levels are well below the 1990 and 2005 baselines. It also suggests agricultural ammonia or NH3 emissions are increasing significantly but figures for 2016 are not yet available. They were supposed to available by early 2018, however. They should have been available for this meeting.

Where are reductions in carbon emissions being achieved and where are they targeted? They are increasing every year and the outlook is not favourable. I know there is a dilemma in how to manage this in the context of the projected growth in agriculture under Food Wise 2025 and so on. Surely the Department needs to target this area now. It should decide how we can start to reduce the carbon emissions or at least maintain current levels, which would not be adequate, as is recognised across Government.