Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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235. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which, in comparison with other agri-food producing countries throughout the globe, Ireland continues to make progress towards achieving targets for emission reductions, with particular reference to competing jurisdictions that are doing better or worse than Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38471/24]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the agriculture sector has committed to reducing emissions by 25% by 2030 based on an emissions baseline of 23MT CO2 eq in 2018.

It is clear that we are on the right track and that the sector is rising to the challenge. We saw a reduction of 4.6% in emissions from agriculture in 2023. This is attributed to the work done at farm level, supported by my Department through the provision of €4.1 billion, in respect of agri-environmental practices under the current Common Agricultural Policy and through actions set out in the Climate Action Plan.

Agriculture is a core component of the Irish economy, the Climate Action Plan has set a pathway that has reduced the use of chemical nitrogen by over 30% in the last number of years, we are reducing methane emissions through improved genetic profiling of the national herd and increasing organic farming to the point of being halfway to achieving the 2030 target of 450,000 ha of farmed organic land.

My Department has committed almost €53 million towards climate research and innovation in agriculture in the last ten years.

In addition, over €14 million has been awarded to projects under the Ireland – New Zealand agriculture and climate joint research initiative by my Department and the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries since it began in 2022. A further set of projects will be announced for funding later this year.

We are members of the international ‘Enteric Fermentation R&D Accelerator’, having committed €5m. This initiative, led by the Global Methane Hub, will accelerate the research in areas such as animal breeding and genetics, feed additives and other technologies for mitigating emissions of methane from livestock.

Through this work my Department is ensuring that Ireland can achieve our climate targets and work with other countries to develop and adopt best practices and secure Ireland’s reputation as producer of world class agri-food products.