Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The logic of the Deputy's position is that we should dismantle what is among the most carbon-efficient producers of food, be it in dairy or beef. He is saying we should dismantle our system in favour of substituting our industry with imports with a far higher carbon footprint per unit of production. As sure as night follows day, if we dismantled our beef or dairy industry, it would not change the dietary habits of the population and we would then have to import food produced at a far higher carbon footprint. The global population is predicted to grow substantially and the challenge is to feed those people in the most carbon-efficient fashion possible. Per unit of dairy production, we are perhaps the most efficient globally and in the European Union, we are the fifth most efficient producer of beef. Could we do more or should we do more? Certainly, and that is why we have programmes like beef data and genomics, which address matters of food conversion, herd fertility and other elements to reduce our carbon footprint. On the other hand the green low carbon agri-environment scheme, GLAS, is also about reducing our carbon footprint. We have been very innovative in the area, including with the likes of the carbon navigator. We are doing all the right things. Although we will need to do more, it is disrespectful to the industry to undermine it in such a public fashion when it has shown a commitment to addressing the issue in real and practical ways.

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