Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will have no problem in relaying that message. To reiterate the Senator's point about the sugar industry, it was the single biggest decision that affected many farmers and the industry in a negative way. We are all agreed on that point. A lot of people are saying it should not have happened. After the decision was made in 2011 the then Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Simon Coveney, would have had numerous meetings. If I recall correctly, there was momentum towards a potential commercial solution in the form of a buy-in. That is still on the table and I encourage the group to stay in touch with Members of this House to ensure there will be possible options for the revival of the sugar industry. Obviously, it would have to be commercially viable. I encourage stakeholders to become involved again.

At a bigger level, when we talk about food production and the pressures on land use, in rural Ireland there are many fields that are not being used. A lot of land is being used for grazing purposes. In my county land is being used for sheep and cattle production. As we need land for that purpose, I understand the Senator's point about the pressures on land use. However, there are also global challenges, as well as global solutions. Somebody told me recently that not alone could Africa provide enough food for people living there; it could also feed the world. We have to look at new and alternative ways. If we look at the population of a country like Kenya, year on year there will be 1 million new workers joining the workforce. By 2050 the population of Nigeria will treble, while the population of the continent of Africa will double to 2.4 billion. The Senator is right in saying it is important to have this debate. It is also important that we do not hold it in isolation in a silo at European level as everything has an impact. I thank the Senator for raising this very important point.