Tim Lombard (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I only got part of the Minister of State, Senator Hackett’s, contribution. There is a huge issue about where we are going with the new measures proposed for nature restoration. A real debate is required in this House on how we will deal with this. I am deeply concerned about what is being proposed. An awful lot of fluff is being talked about here but 20% of Europe’s land is proposed to be rewetted. If that is to happen, saying there will be no impact on food supply and food inflation does not make logical sense. If 20% of the European landholding was to be rewetted and its productivity rate changed, Europe would become a net importer of food. Have we learned nothing from what happened in the war in Ukraine? Have we learned nothing about making sure we are efficient and self-sufficient when it comes to issues of food and security? The rewetting proposals need to be looked at. They would have a huge impact on our economic potential, including rural economic potential. It could ensure that no one gets planning permission for a rural house because no one will meet the requirements of the proposed regulation on septic tanks.No economic assessment of these proposals has been done. They are being debated in Europe and we will sort it out on the night afterwards. I respectfully suggest a serious debate in this House with a range of Ministers to make sure we do not walk ourselves down the line of trying to ensure we are saving biodiversity but at the end of the day do not have enough food to feed Europe. That point will be reached in five years under these proposals. This is as serious as it gets. We need to have a serious debate here. If not, I cannot describe where we will go with our food security policy.