Results 2,781-2,800 of 23,950 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: It continues to be under consideration. Overall, when we look at the agrifood sector, and when I look at it myself, our objective is to continue to produce food and to maintain food production but to reduce the emissions-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: No.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: That is still under consideration. It will not be published this quarter. I will continue to engage with stakeholders on it but there is no certainty at the moment, pending that further engagement, as to timelines.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Across the various ranges of the steps we are taking, we are stepping them out. The challenge around this particular one is that it could potentially have an impact on food production, which has a detrimental output.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: We do.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Our capacity to produce food is a valuable thing that farmers do and something I want to see continue. I do not want to see our capacity to produce food diminish. In fact, anywhere that can produce food will need to produce more of it in the years ahead.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: We continue to invest in research as well, and there is significant-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Not necessarily. Research is evolving very quickly here. We are conducting significant research at the moment as regards the capacity for feed additives to significantly reduce methane emissions. For example, the research which has been conducted can show in-house systems that can potentially reduce methane by up to 30%. Obviously, we are mostly pasture-based. That is being considered as...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: If Deputy Whitmore had been following my approach and my engagement across the agriculture sector closely, she would see that at all times I am honest about the challenges we have and what we have to do. I have been honest in the answer I have given her today as well as to where this particular proposal stands. I have been honest as well and provided solid leadership and clarity throughout...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: -----given its land area. It is likewise in many other parts of the world. We must also be honest about the importance and the challenge coming down the tracks due to population growth and the fact countries that can must produce food. The challenge for all of us is to produce that food to the best of our capacity and productivity while reducing the emissions footprint of how we produce it...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Cathaoirleach. Going back to dairying and whether that produces the food developing countries need, many products come out of our dairy sector. There is no doubt the food is very nutritious and a very worthwhile part of a balanced diet. It is a strong part of our diet, but also something that can really add to nutrition in many parts of the world. For example, I was in Nigeria...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: We have ground to make up. We are no different from any other sector in that. Indeed, some sectors are even further behind. We are making progress, but we have ground to make up.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: It can be. Making it up in the short term is a big ask, but there is capacity for the measures we are putting in place to build momentum. We will see that momentum building in agriculture, as it has to. It was good to see farmers’ work, which is still ongoing, starting to show real results in terms of last year’s reduction in emissions. Consider the significant change in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Yes. Teagasc’s marginal abatement cost curve, MACC, and the assessment of the measures we have in place and are being worked on show that it can be achieved. It will take a hell of an effort, but it can be done.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Quite unusually in economic terms, we had a dairy sector that was constrained by quotas for approximately 30 years. That led to a distortion of the balance between agriculture’s various sectors, as dairy could not expand. Following the removal of quotas at European level, we saw an expansion in the dairy herd. There has now been a stabilisation and, indeed, a small net reduction of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The production of meat and dairy is positive in terms of feeding people. Key to this is continuing our work and taking every step we can to reduce that production’s emissions footprint. Meat and dairy production is something that our country has been doing for a long time and meat and dairy are staple parts of diets in many other parts of the world. Our herd size is just 4% larger...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: It is important. This is about doing it sustainably, and it can be done very sustainably.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Meat, dairy and grain production can be done in a way that is sustainable and in sync with the environment around it as part of a sustainable food system.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I disagree with what the Deputy is saying, but I agree that it was appropriate for Teagasc, as it always does, to lead out in terms of its research and the sustainable food system that we have.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I do not agree it was a climate denialist exercise. Teagasc organised that conference. All the work that Teagasc does is robust. Anything it attaches its name to is backed up by its scientific work. Our meat, dairy and grain production has to be part of a sustainable food system. We have a strong and sustainable food system that we have to make even more sustainable, particularly by...