Paddy Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Kyne for sharing his time. I welcome the Minister of State to the House and congratulate and wish her well. I thank the Green Party for tabling this important motion. I will shorten my speech considerably because of the time. Between 35% and 40% of the food produced worldwide is wasted. Europe should play an important role in food packaging. New types of food packaging will allow food to be transported further and further afield. Fresh flowers can be packaged and sent by sea rather than by air. All of the flowers from Africa come by air and are transported through Europe. They could be transported by sea using a modified air packaging system. This approach has to be pushed by the European Union and various European governments. Farmers should be compensated or paid if they play an active role in this.

On biodiversity, there was a major issue with a species of snail when the Naas dual carriageway was being developed. I have asked several Ministers from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine what has happened. Have surveys been carried out on any destruction caused or whether the Naas dual carriageway had a devastating effect on the snail at the time? Did the snail come back? Is it in the area at present? In my area, it was argued that wind farms would have a big effect on grouse numbers but grouse are now nesting under the pylons. I would like surveys to be carried out in this regard. We have an area of diluvian woodland and an issue with regard to displacement of the freshwater pearl mussel by infrastructure. Does development have a detrimental effect on freshwater pearl mussels or do they just move on to another place? I understand that no trials have been done in this area. I would welcome if something was done in this regard.