Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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20. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the influence the EPA report on targets to re-wetlands and the proposed reductions in herd numbers will have on policy in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9694/23]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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The report referred to by the Deputy refers to an EPA funded research project that models a number of ways in which Ireland could meet net-zero emissions by 2050 which is in 27 years’ time.

It was carried out by leading soil, carbon and agri-ecologists under the auspices of the EPA Research Programme. It indicates the scale of the challenge in addressing the climate crisis. It is important to stress, however, that this scientific research, and the different scenarios modelled within it are not Government policy.

Crucially, the Government will not take a position without detailed consultation with farm representative groups and there will be no policy decision forced upon farmers. Any measure we set out involving farmers and our overall climate ambitions over the time ahead will be voluntary.

I have made meeting with farmers and engaging with their representatives a real hallmark of my time as Minister including my CAP consultation tour where I visited a mart in every county to meet and talk with farmers to hear their views.

From a Government perspective Land Use is being addressed by the Land Use Review. It comprises two main phases.

Phase I provides an evidence base – to determine the environmental, ecological and economic characteristics of land types across Ireland. This part of the land use review is completed and will be published shortly by Government.

Phase 1 includes a number of technical recommendations relate to monitoring, mapping, and evidence-gathering activities (and how we improve our knowledge base).

Phase II of the Land Use Review will go on to consider the evidence gathered in Phase I, and will consider the actual policies and actions for future land-use in Ireland – in the context of the Government’s wider economic, social and climate objectives.

Work is on-going to finalise the format and deliverables for Phase II, but it is clear that it will need to look at modelling of land use change but only when we have reduced some of the uncertainty with regard to current land use identified as part of Phase I.