Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Perhaps we should have statements and a debate on this issue, similar to what we held on the dairy sector recently. There is a need for a real debate on the sustainability story of Irish food production. We are exporting nearly 90% of everything we produce and we plan to grow that, so we must be able to prove to our critics, competitors and the clients to whom we sell that this is a story of growth that is also focusing on sustainability. We have a great story to tell in this regard, which is improving year on year.

I have much admiration for organisations such as An Taisce. They are right to raise issues about the climate change challenge we face, along with other environmental challenges relating to water management, protecting biodiversity, protecting special areas of conservation and so forth. However, the idea that one would reduce output to meet national targets when, in fact, one's output is a really good performer in international terms and in terms of the emissions intensity of one's production systems does not make sense. I will not restrict farmers from growing and expanding their businesses if they are doing a good job from a sustainability point of view, and we must win the argument at European level on that basis.

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