Dr. Tadhg O'Mahony:

A strategic approach is needed. We can also focus on prices. Regarding relying on prices and pricing on its own, the literature on reducing greenhouse gas emissions says this just will not do it. Even financing at the moment is not aligned with achieving the kind of transition and transformation we need. I prioritise highlighting the word "crisis". We are in a crisis and recognising a crisis means transformation is needed. A short-term and long-term approach are needed to work on those low-hanging fruits and the things we understand more. How can we change our system of subsidies to something nature-positive? This can be worked on very quickly. Our strategic long-term approach probably requires more research but that does not mean that we do not do it. Both should be done at the same time. A lot of economic analysis is showing us those benefits, which are benefits to the wider economy, when those kinds of ecosystem services are valued. Typically, however, they are not priced in the market. That is the problem. Relying only on the pricing approach means we will probably not be able to get to a transformative outcome.

The other thing about the transformative outcome - that bigger shift - is that this is how to get win-wins. Focusing on things like technological changes and efficiency changes means we will not get those win-wins and the system will be left the way it is, with almost half of farming households economically vulnerable.

One may tweak some of the aspects and get an improvement of 10% or 20% in some indicators. I would then consider how to take those efficiencies and do those structural changes towards which one gets through a big strategic vision. It is both. It is the pricing and targets and the long-term vision and establishing knowledge and discussions that help us to get there, but it is also the short term. One can be pragmatic in that regard. I thank the Deputy for focusing on it. It is possible to get into it quite quickly.