Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The only person or party talking about a stick and Irish farming is Deputy Doherty and Sinn Féin. I have made clear, as has the Government, that we want to co-operate and engage with our farming communities because we know they are central to the change that has to be made. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, is well aware of the concerns that our farming community have about Mercosur and the impact the deal might have on the viability and future of the farming community. He will continue to engage with our farmers and the Commission on this.

On the very day the climate action plan is being published, given the role of Sinn Féin in acknowledging and voting for a climate crisis, I look forward to hearing from it later in the day regarding its support for the climate action plan the Government will publish. I also look forward to hearing how it can acknowledge there is a climate crisis while continuing to be against any measure that looks to make a meaningful difference.

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