Peter Power (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

I very much welcome this question. I am aware of the reports which underpin the question, namely, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IFAD, and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, FAO, reports and the Institute for Environment Development report issued earlier this year. They estimate that 2.5 million hectares of land have been bought by other countries.

We need to make a distinction in terms of the motivation behind the purchase of these lands and acknowledge the difficulties which may arise from that while looking at the possibility and potential that arises from this investment. One must remember that what really unlocked the potential of this country was foreign direct investment. If managed properly and in partnership with our priority countries-----

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