Mr. Pat McCormack:

I will try not to be repetitive. Deputy Carthy asked a question about implications for our members. It will devalue our land. It has the potential to sterilise. We saw that in the past with the hen harrier when there was a small incentive under the rural environment protection scheme, REPS, and the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, but they disappeared after a short time.

There is a huge fear there, as was alluded to by others. An impact assessment needs to be done to get a handle on its implication for farm families. It could undermine their viability. Ultimately, it could lead to a move away from the land. One thing that struck me when I was involved in the Food Vision group was when it brought in a department official from Northern Ireland and his one fear regarding biodiversity was that there would be land abandonment. It is the greatest threat to biodiversity and something to be borne in mind.

On international trade and this regulation, how concerned are our EU negotiators when they are involved in trade talks with Mercosur countries? What questions are they asking on the environment? Are we playing on a level playing field? These are things I would be extremely sceptical about. That leaves us at a severe disadvantage.