Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Minister on the need to meet targets and to ensure that the targets are met insofar as is possible. However, this is not simply about replacement of income for landowners and farmers, etc. It is also about food production. In a world where there is a scarcity of food where millions of people are dying of starvation, we may well find ourselves in the not-too-distant future facing a serious food shortage. It is not only about one issue of replacement of income. It is about a number of issues. We need to take as much action as can be taken on the alternatives, maximise them, and try to keep our food production and keep our independence. There are those who say that it cannot be done. It can be done with the help of science.

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