Brian Leddin (Limerick City, Green Party)
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132. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will quantify the expected greenhouse gas reduction in the dairy sector by 2030; if all of this reduction will be accounted for by solutions identified by the Food Vision Dairy Group or by alternative means; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26830/22]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The dairy sector accounts for approximately 40% of total greenhouse gas emissions within agriculture sector, so it is clear that emissions from the sector will need to be stabilised and then reduced in order to bring the agriculture sector into its target reduction range of a 22%-30% reduction.

The Climate Action Plan 2021 also sets out the types of measures that the sector will need to adopt such as reducing chemical Nitrogen applications in fertilizer, increasing the use of protected urea and a more targeted approach to animal breeding.

The Food Vision Dairy Group, which I established earlier this year, is tasked with advancing the actions for the dairy sector identified in Food Vision 2030, the ten-year stakeholder-led strategy for the Irish agri-food sector.

The activities of the Group must also take account of the requirement for the dairy sector to contribute towards achievement of the targets set for the agriculture and land use sector in the Climate Action Plan 2021.

The Food Vision Dairy Group has been tasked as a priority to submit a report to myself as Minister, setting out how emissions from the dairy sector can be stabilised and then reduced. I understand that an interim report will be submitted to me very soon; and the Chair of the Group made a presentation this week to the Food Vision High Level Implementation Committee on progress to date.

I understand that a key further task for the Group, to be completed before the final report is submitted, will be to quantify the metrics associated with the proposed measures; including the impact in carbon dioxide equivalent reduction projections for each measure; the timeframe for implementation; the key costings; and the linkages and alignment between the proposed measures and those in the Climate Action Plan, AgClimatise, Food Vision 2030, and the CAP Strategic Plan. 

I know that the dairy sector, which is the lifeblood of many parts of rural Ireland, is very conscious that the sector needs to stabilise and then reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the sector, in order to contribute to our national ambitions on climate. 

As well as the legal obligations to meet our climate targets, proof of environmental sustainability is essential in terms of maintaining and indeed growing the value of our dairy exports, which last year amounted to €5 billion, and were exported to up to 140 countries around the world. Maintaining and building on our reputation for safe, nutritious and sustainably produced dairy products and ingredients is key to the economic, social and environmental sustainability of this great sector in the future.  

The Government will be fully supportive of these efforts. I am confident that working together we can stabilise and then reduce emissions from the dairy sector, positioning Ireland as a world leader in sustainable food systems, meeting our climate targets, and ensuring that the market delivers a reward for our quality, sustainably produced food, particularly for our farmers, and their families who are the bedrock of the sector.