Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to speak on this issue this afternoon. As I understand it, and in line with its June conclusions, the European Council will return to the issue of climate change with the aim of finalising its guidance for the adoption and submission of the EU's long-term strategy and focusing in particular on the target of achieving climate neutrality by 2050. I ask the Minister of State for more detail on what exactly this proposed climate neutrality would look like, especially the implications it will have for the Irish agriculture sector and the beef and dairy sectors. These are important questions. Many farm families are aghast at what may be coming down the tracks and are very uncertain about their future. As the Minister of State is aware, farm families are a vital part of our rural economy.

When Mick Wallace, who has gone to greener pastures in Europe, was a Member of this House he spoke about climate neutrality on one occasion and our meat and dairy herds. He stated: "The meat and dairy herds are to Ireland what the coal industry is to Poland and the fracking gas industry is to the United States, namely, a short-sighted cash generator, the expansion of which is undermining the chances of survival of the planet and the people of the global south and in less than a generation the people of the global north." How can anyone take this stuff seriously? I am worried, as are many people, about the role the Minister is taking in respect of such statements and issues at EU level. Apparently, the EU agrees with Mick Wallace. By insisting that we all move to carbon neutrality the EU is giving the appearance that Irish farmers are not doing their bit in this area. I believe they are grappling to do a great deal in the teeth of huge numbers of imports of beef, pork and other commodities not only from across Europe but from Mercosur countries also. They are scared stiff. We saw them on the streets of Dublin this day two weeks ago. They had to come to Dublin to protest because they were not being listened to by the Minister of State's Government. Meat Industry Ireland, MII, is trying to crush them into the ground and the Minister, Deputy Creed, simply rubs his hands and sets up a task force that is toothless, useless and fruitless. It is headed up by a retired Secretary General of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine who was in place when all the regulations that are now crippling the farmers were introduced. I refer to the 30-month rule. All the advantages for the factories and the meat producers were put in place by that man. I have nothing against him personally but he could not be envisaged in any way as being an independent chairperson. We needed someone who knew nothing about farming or the meat industry to chair this openly and honestly with a view to levelling the playing field, but that did not happen.

As I said, the EU seems to agree with what Mick Wallace said. That is despite the fact that the European Commission Joint Research Centre report found that Ireland was the most carbon efficient beef producer in the European Union per unit of dairy silage production and the fifth most carbon efficient producer of beef per kilogram. We are not saying that. The European Commission Joint Research Centre found these figures, which I will repeat. Per unit of dairy production, Ireland was the best and we are the fifth most carbon efficient producer of beef per kilogram, so what is all this talk about? Why are we scaremongering and accepting this carte blancheattitude? Why are we not defending our right? A great deal of effort has gone into the agricultural industry to keep it green and to ensure traceability from the farm to the fork. It is welcome to have that recognition at EU level.

We are concerned about the policy position or guidance the Minister will be giving to the EU when it comes to outlining the ways in which we can approach carbon neutrality by 2050. There are many questions to be asked, and many concerns. We have the campaign to elect a new IFA president. I hope the Tipperary candidate, Tim Cullinan, is successful. The other farm organisations are concerned about the measures the Minister will bring to the table. Is he quoting these figures to them? I hope he is because we are top of the class as regards carbon efficiency and the fifth most carbon efficient producer of beef per kilogram. Those are significant facts from the European Commission that I hope are independent. We must maintain that and protect our important agriculture industry. I have lived through three recessions and it was agriculture industry that brought a recovery to our economy. The Minister of State, Deputy Cannon, should know that as he comes from a rural constituency.

I want to know the policy position and what the Taoiseach and the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, will be saying to our farmers. I am disappointed they are not in the Chamber, although the Taoiseach was here earlier. What clear message will they be giving to our farmers? Will the Minister and the Government be agreeing with the assessment of Deputy Wallace - I certainly hope not - that the national herd is a threat to the survival of the planet when we have those independent assessments? Apart from the EU, we might need more independent people to come from abroad to prove those figures are correct. We will take our medicine when we have to but when we have those standards recognised through the European Commission, which represents the 27 member states, why should we not defend them with gusto and pride, albeit having interest in and concern about climate change? Of course, we have to deal with that issue but we must stand our ground as regards our valuable national herd, of which dairy is the most important part, with beef exports second and pigmeat exports third.

The Acting Chairman might allow me to digress briefly. I have raised very serious concerns about shipments of pork coming here from areas close to where African swine fever is raging. I have serious questions about checks at ports and airports. They are non-existent. I understand they are closed from 6 p.m. to 9 a.m. We are sleepwalking into something that could be as catastrophic as foot and mouth disease. The pig industry was on its knees for 30 years. Thankfully, due to issues in Poland and other countries, it is doing well now but MII and the meat industry bringing in shipments from these areas adjacent to an outbreak of swine 'flu, which wiped out herds of pigs, is reckless. Are we sleepwalking in that regard? What is the Department doing? Farmers are persecuted every day with the burden of regulation. Many pig farmers living in rural areas have contacted me about this issue. They have been engaged in the pigmeat industry for a long time and have given great employment but they cannot get assurances about this and they are extremely concerned. We cannot even get an answer from the Taoiseach. He said he would pass the question to the Minister, Deputy Creed. It is a matter of great concern that such shipments would come into this country, and that the country could face that risk through one meat product overnight. Will the Government be agreeing with the former Deputy Wallace’s position or will it robustly defend our rights? We have been good Europeans for long enough. We have been the good boys of Europe and we found out when we had the banking crisis what they thought of us. It is now time to assert our authority and state that our industry is green and clean. There is more to be done, as the saying goes, a lot done and more to do. Nonetheless, we are starting from a very good point and we will not wipe out the planet with emissions from our agriculture industry. The Taoiseach stood up in this House and said we should eat less beef. There has been an undermining of and an attack on beef and other products in terms of many of the issues raised. It is not merited or proven in science. If the Minister does not defend the industry, what exactly will he say to the European Commission in terms of protecting the interests of Irish farmers and the agrifood sector when it comes to the EU implementing measures aimed at reducing the carbon footprint in the sector? I hope I get answers from the Minister. The facts speak for themselves. Out industry is well recognised. We need a clear answer from the Taoiseach and the Minister of State, Deputy McEntee, on this issue.

When the Minister, Deputy Creed, spoke recently, specifically on carbon neutrality, which is on the Council agenda, he said that the higher ambition on environmental and climate action is part of the new Common Agricultural Policy post 2020 and that it is proposed that 40% of the overall CAP budget would contribute to climate action. Where will that leave us? That is what the Minister said. Why are people not concerned about that?

The Government is the elected Government of the day, albeit a lame duck Government on its last legs. Nonetheless, it is expected to defend our prime industry. Yet, the Minister also said - this was what is alarming - this would require farming to achieve a higher level of environmental ambition through mandatory and incentive-based measures. I do not like the word "mandatory" because we are doing it already. Why should any more be mandated? We have enough regulation. There is over-regulation. What mandatory measures does the Government support at EU Council level? I want answers because we do not want to take any more of them.

We have to put our shoulder to the wheel and play our part with climate change but we have a good standard and good quality beef, dairy and pork products. They are clean and recognised as such by independent people from Europe. There is assessment from world experts but the Government should not be kow-towing and threatening mandatory regulations on those in our farming industry. They need support. Ní neart go cur le chéile. They should not be attacked, undermined and threatened with more mandatory regulations.

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