Kieran O'Donnell (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

At times the Seanad has the opportunity to debate issues of national importance on a forum basis. I am now finding that the issue of climate change affects every facet of society, including the dairy industry and business. We are looking to decrease our carbon footprint. I ask the Cathaoirleach and the Deputy Leader to look at doing what we did on Brexit, that is, to hold a day forum within the Chamber to which we would invite witnesses from a range of sectors. I ask that we, as a Chamber, do a body of work on climate change. There has been a seismic change in the public consciousness on this issue, particularly in the past six months to a year. We are now at a stage where people want feedback from independent witnesses as to the precise impact. To take a basic issue, that of dairying, we are encouraging farmers to increase the sizes of their herds while, at the same time, asking them to decrease their carbon footprint. The question is how to do that in a sustainable way. I would like to hear from expert witnesses. The Cathaoirleach might look at how we could structure a day, at some point in the not too distant future, when we would bring in good witnesses from a range of sectors and do a body of work on the issue ourselves.

On an issue which pertains more to the House, I congratulate our colleague, Senator Frank Feighan-----