Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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66. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the way in which he plans to address the challenge of climate change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41613/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The issue of climate change is one of the foremost challenges facing us all globally. Given the nature of the Irish economy, the importance of agriculture, coupled with the lack of heavy industry in comparison with some other EU Member States, agriculture is responsible for approximately 34% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Clearly, primary agriculture will need to step up and play its part in reducing absolute emission over the years ahead in line with EU and national targets, However it is critical to note that farmers have already made great strides in this regard and have shown a willingness to meet all our climate ambitions.

The Deputy's question is timely, as I am publishing a climate and air roadmap for the primary agriculture sector shortly. This roadmap will set a out a series of actions that farmers can start to implement on their farms to reduce overall emissions. We need to start seeing changes now. The roadmap will be very much based on the measures contained in the Teagasc Marginal Abatement Cost Curve for greenhouse gases which was published in 2018.

I want to continue to invest heavily in research and innovation in climate smart agriculture. By investing in research now, we can develop innovative solutions to further reduce the climate footprint of our sector in medium to long term.

Finally, I see the issue of carbon sequestration as an opportunity for Irish farmers. No other sector will have the ability to offset carbon emissions to the same extent as agriculture. Recently, I provided funding to Teagasc to establish a National Agricultural Soil Carbon Observatory. This observatory will facilitate the intensive monitoring of carbon emissions and removals across a range of Irish soils, putting Ireland at the forefront internationally in terms of understanding, supporting and rewarding farmers for practices that build carbon stores in our soils.

Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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67. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the work carried out by his Department to fund the necessary research and development activities that can develop tangible solutions to farmers and help them to maintain a climate-friendly agricultural system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41541/20]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The funding of research and development activities by this Department is central to provide the evidence base and solutions that will help address the climate challenges faced in the agricultural sector. A core focus of this effort is to encourage uptake and use of innovations by farmers in order to promote an agricultural system that reduces and prevents negative impacts on the climate.

Through a combination of both national and trans-national competitive research calls that my Department has operated or engaged in over recent years, significant funding has been invested in climate related research.  Indeed, over the last 12-months alone, over €8.8m has been committed to support climate and environment-orientated research projects undertaken by early stage researchers in Irish research institutions for the benefit of the agricultural sector and which aim to help farmers work towards and achieve climate-friendly and climate-neutral farms.

In addition, during 2020 we continued to promote and support researcher engagement in relevant agri-climate research opportunities offered through the EU Green Deal, European Research Networks and the EU LIFE programme. Furthermore, with a focus on delivering a climate-friendly agricultural system relevant to farmers and the agri-food sector as a whole in Ireland, my Department’s work, both nationally and internationally, in the development of future research and innovation strategies, programmes and funding opportunities over the next 10-years continues to be of critical importance.

As we approach 2021, my Department is finalising a new thematic national research Call that will provide further funding to allow the research community to develop innovative solutions for farmers and their sector in order to support them in maintaining and delivering a sustainable and climate sensitive agri-food, forest and bio-based system.  Under Budget 2021 I secured an addtional €3m which has been allocated to research, bringing the research budget within my Department to €18m. 

This competitively allocated funding for research is additional to the grant-in-aid allocations to Teagasc of €147m in 2021, much of which goes towards research and advisory activities related to climate sustainability.