Jackie Cahill (Tipperary, Fianna Fail)
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We have gone significantly over time. We have to be fair to the next set of witnesses. This has been a very good session and very informative. From my point of view as a farmer, what farmers want is to get full credit and recognition for the hedgerows they have. If there is a parameter for measuring and rewarding farmers for them, we will see that farmers will buy into this policy of hedgerows. As Senator Paul Daly said, we have a completely different landscape from continental Europe. It is annoying farmers that they are not getting recognition for the hedgerows on their farms and the sequestration of carbon. Anything that can be done on this front will be mutually beneficial for farming and the environment. Farmers are custodians and they want to look after their farms and the environment. We have a way to go to get recognition for farmers of what hedgerows are doing for the environment. On behalf of the committee, I thank the witnesses for their presentation.