Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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128. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which he continues to ensure a balance between meeting emission reduction targets and ensuring the future of the agri-food sector, ensuring the future of the agricultural production sector while meeting carbon reduction targets to the greatest possible extent; if he is satisfied that neither will progress at the expense of the other, that food security for the future is assured and that everything possible is being done to reduce emissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19857/23]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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197. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the extent to which he continues to ensure a balance between meeting emission reduction targets and ensuring the future of the agri-food sector with particular reference to the need to ensure the future of the agricultural production sector while meeting carbon reduction targets to the greatest possible extent; if he is satisfied that neither will progress at the expense of the other, that food security for the future is assured and that everything possible is being done to reduce emissions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20166/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 and 197 together.

The Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2021 commits Ireland to a legally binding target of a climate neutral economy no later than 2050 and a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 51% by 2030 compared to 2018 levels. Following the process set out in the Act, a carbon budget programme proposed by the Climate Change Advisory Council was adopted by the Oireachtas in April 2022. In July 2022, the Government approved Sectoral Emission Ceilings for both the first and second carbon budget periods, (i.e. 2021-2025 and 2026-2030), with the exception the Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) sector, which will be determined later this year. For our agriculture sector, this process has set a 10% emissions reduction target by 2025 and a 25% emissions reduction target by 2030.

The 2023 Climate Action Plan has outlined how these emissions reductions can be achieved in the coming years, increasing our ambition for efficiency in the sector while also promoting the diversification of agricultural activities. These actions will improve animal breeding, feeding and finishing, and will also encourage farmers to diversify into more sustainable sectors, including organics, tillage and biomethane production. Targets include expanding the organic sector to 450,000 hectares, growing the tillage sector to 400,000 hectares and construction of up to 200 Anaerobic Digestion plants. It will also reduce our chemical fertiliser use to a maximum of 300,000 tonnes by 2030.

My Department and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine continue to collaborate on reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, while also ensuring the security and sustainability of our food production. There is a significant opportunity for Ireland to become a world leader in long-term sustainable food production. I remain confident that our family farms will fully exploit the opportunities of this transition to increase farm incomes without compromising on sustainable food production.

Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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129. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if his attention has been drawn to studies showing that Government policies to tackle climate change are causing a mental health crisis among farmers (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19714/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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This study ‘Dying to Farm: Developing a Suicide Prevention Intervention for Farmers in Ireland’ represents welcomed insight to this critical sector of Irish society, underscoring the importance of mental health initiatives and suicide awareness for members of the farming community.

The study, which I note is still ongoing and for which preliminary data is being reported, highlights levels of anxiety being experienced by the farming community.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s Climate Change in the Irish Mind (2021) and the Climate Change's Four Irelands (2022) reports indicate that a majority of people in Ireland (85%) are worried about climate change, with 37% describing themselves as “very worried”. Furthermore, they also identify that nearly all Irish people think that either future generations of people (95%), people in developing countries (94%), and plant and animal species (94%) will be harmed “a great deal” or “a moderate amount” by climate change.

The Climate Conversations 2022 Summary Report shows that 88% of people recognise the agri-food sector has an important role in delivering climate action. It also indicates that 85% of people are taking some form of action and called for more guidance and supports to be given to farmers.

I note from the draft findings how strongly the farming community identifies with the land. The Land-use Review, in seeking to optimise land use across key Government objectives such as improving socioeconomic, climate, biodiversity, water, and air quality outcomes, shall do so through extensive stakeholder consultation, ensuring that all opinions, concerns, hopes and anxieties are central to informing any potential policy recommendations.