Ms Sadhbh O'Neill:

I thank Deputy Farrell. They are excellent questions.

In terms of Ireland's emissions profile, clearly, unlike other EU member states, we have a much higher share of agricultural emissions than we do of industrial emissions, for example.

Our emissions profile is somewhat different but not so markedly different from countries such as Denmark, for example. Interestingly, over the past two decades, the Danish Government has been much more proactive in regulating nitrogen pollution and phosphorus pollution. We have heard about similar examples from the Netherlands. Over recent decades, it has reduced ammonia and nitrogen emissions by between 15% and 20%. Interestingly, this is below what is economically optimal for farmers to utilise on their land. The Netherlands set targets to double organic production by 2020. I am not sure whether it actually reached that target. Essentially, it has reduced total nitrogen input since 1990 by 50%. By comparison, Ireland's nitrogen inputs declined by 20% to 2011 and started to increase again following the abolition of the milk quota.

The reason I give this example is to highlight the influence of policy. Where we have a strong regulatory regime, it is perfectly possible to get these numbers under control but in Ireland we have experienced a much more laissez-faireapproach to agricultural output. Not only has it been laissez-fairebut it has been positively promoted in terms of increasing output under the Food Wise and Food Harvest agrifood strategies. What we have seen in terms of the increase in agricultural emissions is directly related to policies in Ireland and decisions not to regulate emissions where they could have been regulated.