Paul Daly (Fianna Fail)
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I welcome Mr. Kennedy and thank him for his presentation. I have visited Dowth and I have seen at first hand everything that he has explained to us today. I have a couple of quick questions and observations. Mr. Kennedy started his presentation by referring to world population growth. I add to that the crisis we are in at the moment with the Ukraine situation and how obvious food security has become as an issue.

Moving on to technology and research, I am a firm believer in the carbon-leakage argument, but often when we put forward the carbon-leakage theory we are cut down and it is said that we are just using it as a defence for the continuation of agricultural output. Mr. Kennedy rightly pointed out - it is obvious to the world today - how important it is that we maintain our output, but at the same time be cognisant of the climate issues and how we can reduce our emissions while, at worst, maintaining our current output. Having visited Dowth, it is very impressive, but with the greatest of respect, a lot of it is based on what one could call laboratory conditions. It is a research and development project and it has access to postgraduate students. Based on the studies he has done in Dowth, could he explain to us as legislators what would be the best way for us to roll out the approach to the entire farming community, population and industry?

Going back to the point on carbon leakage, as a nation, with our current farming structure based on the farm-family model, our climate, our field size and our soil structures, where do we stand on a world scale with regard to our potential to be carbon neutral in agriculture as of today, or down the line with the inclusion of the standards, systems and technologies Mr. Kennedy is rolling out and developing in Dowth?