Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I ask the Leader to invite the Minister, Deputy Naughten, to come to the House to discuss the effects of food production on climate change and the imposition on Irish farmers to meet our carbon emissions targets. We also need a proper debate about supports and grants for farmers to help them to convert to renewable energy to achieve more energy efficiency.

I say this in the context of the comments made last week by the former President, Mary Robinson, who suggested that the best way forward was that we either became vegetarians or vegans. I do not subscribe to what she said and do not believe it is realistic. We should have a realistic debate. A more realistic and immediate approach would be to eliminate food waste. In Europe alone we waste enough food to feed 200 million people per annum. It costs energy to produce and transport food.

If we get rid of meat and dairy what will we do for the necessary proteins? Will we get these protein-rich food crops that are only grown in the tropics and take the food from people in developing countries and transport it over to here? We need a realistic debate because farmers and other people are worried. We need to be environmentally responsible, but let us take realistic steps. Let us have the Minister in here to have a proper debate. We need to get the supports in place. If we do not give supports to incentivise people towards renewable energy and energy efficiency, we will end up paying penalties to Europe.