Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent)
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901. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the commercial interests that are represented on the Teagasc authority; if this appropriately reflects the central scientific challenge for Irish agriculture, namely, to produce highly nutritional food with radically lower absolute amounts of greenhouse gas emissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6819/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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Teagasc was established under the Agriculture (Research, Training and Advice) Act, 1988, to provide research, training and advice to the agricultural sector. The Teagasc Authority is collectively responsible for leading and directing Teagasc’s activities, including reviewing and guiding strategic direction. In fulfilling its functions, the Authority is guided by the principles in the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies to ensure that it acts in the best interests of stakeholders, while having due regard to its legal responsibilities.

The 1988 Act provides for the appointment of five persons to the Authority having experience in agriculture, agricultural research, education, food processing, the food processing industry or the management of commercial enterprises, and five persons from stakeholder organisations. Those organisations are ICOS, IFA, ICMSA, Macra na Feirme and the unions representing staff in Teagasc. Five appointments, including the Chair, are made following a competitive process run by the Public Appointments Service. One position on the Authority is reserved for a senior official from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

I am satisfied that the Teagasc Authority is equipped to lead Teagasc in meeting the challenges that lie ahead to mitigate emissions from the agriculture sector and create a sustainable food system. The recently launched Teagasc Climate Action Strategy aims to empower farmers to accelerate the adoption of new technologies and production systems.

To achieve this, Teagasc is significantly increasing its resources devoted to climate related research and knowledge transfer. Its Food Research programme, for example, is focused on assisting farmers and the food industry to produce safe, nutritious and flavoursome foods. The Teagasc Environment research programme aims to enhance water quality, improve biodiversity and develop mitigating actions to address climate change (and ammonia emissions).