Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I worry that there is no sense that, because we are now off target, we need to take some pretty sharp corrective action. It seems to me that farmers respond to financial incentives. They cut their nitrogen because the price went up. If there were more rewards for the plan that would reduce their emissions numbers, I think we would see farmers responding much more quickly. I go back to the old theme. We do not have the incentives in place that will give the signal to know what your emissions are and then pay for the reduction you plan to deliver. We have to start to embrace that sort of approach rather than hoping for research or hoping there will be spontaneous take-up of opportunities.

See this speech in context