Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

First, our former President, former Senator and Chair of the Elders is extremely welcome to Seanad Éireann. She touched on many broad issues, including just transition; social, racial and environmental justice, indigenous climate action, community and local resilience and adaptation, natural climate solutions, and, of course, climate education and engagement. Her opening speech commenced with a reference to the global situation. When I heard that, I hoped that she would touch on the local situation because I intended to do so as it is important, and she did.

I love the fact that Mrs. Robinson has a dandelion and she has always used symbols. I am a very keen gardener so I know the potential good done by a dandelion. One thing that is said about a dandelion is that it carries a thousand seeds. I like to think that the dandelion symbolises a thousand hopes and aspirations and, therefore, the dandelion is a very apt and appropriate symbol. We should use the dandelion more as a symbol because it symbolises that from one single thought, vision or ambition that one can plant many seeds of hope. That is why the dandelion is so appropriate and I say well done.

I want to acknowledge that work that Mrs. Robinson has done on multilateralism, human rights, gender equality, women in leadership both nationally and at a European level in intergenerational dialogue. Essentially, she has realised and harnessed all of that energy around all of that to achieve her strategic goals and those of the Elders and the very many NGOs and groups whom she has worked with in the past, and up to now, in achieving sustainable impacts. I say that because that is what it is all about. It is about sustainable impact and sustainability goals.

I want to touch on a few just transition issues. I am a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. I am also a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine and I will mention the agricultural aspects of just transition.While we have to restructure and support incentives for farmers, farmers, particularly Irish farmers, do not see the benefit of just transition. We talked about a common agricultural policy, the greening of agricultural policy across Europe, but still our Irish farmers are not convinced of the benefits. They do not see the tangible benefits. Over 50% of our farm families have to go off farm to supplement their income. That is linked to just transition because it is not just by choice.

Our farmers, foresters, growers, fishers and food producers want a clear pathway by this Government and by the European Union as to how they will be supported by just transition, which in turn feeds into climate justice, tackling the environmental challenges around us. They want reassurances regarding household incomes, their farm incomes. They want fair employment opportunities in the production of food. They want fair pricing. I acknowledge Mrs. Robinson's work on that. If we are to have sustainable, good nutritious food, it needs to be paid for and we need to talk about that. We need to work with the trade unions, the employers, the co-operatives, the growers and the farming associations about that and how it relates to farm income which is also important.

As Mrs. Robinson is here and is a focus of attention, I will use this opportunity to take advantage of that focus of attention. I ask her to bring back to The Elders and all her contacts in Ireland, Europe and globally the message that we need to refocus on sustainable and viable rural communities which are dying in this country. We need to include the farming activities that contribute to sustainability. We often hear that farmers are the custodians of our land and our rural communities. I agree that they are. I accept that they want to play a real part in all of that but they want to be supported because they need to have viable incomes to sustain their livelihoods and they also wish to live in rural Ireland. They acknowledge the impact of nutrients in the soil, such as the leaching into our waterways.

Many people will have heard of the EPA report on "Morning Ireland" today. It is not all about farming, agriculture, forestry and horticulture. Mrs. Robinson mentioned peat and we see the devastating challenges relating to peat for the production of salad crops in Ireland and the production of mushrooms, of which we export 90%. That is a great success and we want to sustain that. Teagasc and the Department of agriculture are doing great research into an alternative medium for growing mushrooms. We need to work around the obstacles. As an advocate for the farming community and as a representative of the agricultural sector here, I am greatly encouraged by farmers' participation.

We need to work on greening agricultural policy more through the Common Agricultural Policy. We need to support the farm-to-fork strategy in the European Union and in Ireland. Reducing agricultural emissions will be difficult but with support, farmers will and want to play their part. I finish by thanking Mrs. Robinson. She is a living example of her work. She walks her talk. It is great to have her here today listening and sharing her vast experience on these issues with us.