Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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135. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the actions he will take to reduce carbon emissions from agriculture in light of the recent EPA report projecting a 1% increase in agricultural emissions by 2030 with existing measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36625/25]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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The Environmental Protection Agency’s “Greenhouse Gas Emissions Projections Report 2024-2055” was published in May this year and it sets out the challenges that Ireland has on the road to meeting our 2030 climate target. The report projects in the With Existing Measures Scenario the Agricultural Sector will increases emissions by 1% by 2030 and in the With Additional Measures Scenario will reduce emissions by 16% by 2030.

The Environmental Protection Agency published Ireland's Final Greenhouse Gas Emissions 1990-2023 report in April this year. The report sets out that total Green House Gas emissions from the Agricultural sector in Ireland in 2023 was 20.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents. This represents a year-on-year decrease of 4.9% and follows on from a further reduction in emissions in 2022.

It is important that we continue to support Irish farmers and maintain this trajectory towards meeting our climate ambitions. The sector is very much up for this challenge, supported by Government and something I am and will continue to focus on through collaboration and engagement of all involved.

A pathway to enable the sector meet it’s 2030 climate ambition is set out in the Climate Action Plan which is reviewed, and actions updated annually in accordance with the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021.

Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan is supporting farmers to transition to more sustainable practices while also supporting family farm incomes, with a budget of €9.8bn. As part of Ireland’s Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan my department is providing €1.5bn for the agri-environment scheme ACRES, increased funding for Organic Farming which has increased the area farmed organically in Ireland to 248,000 ha and €260m to improve the carbon efficiency of the suckler herd through genetic improvement. A budget of €1.3bn underpins the Forestry Programme 2023 - 2027 which is the means by which we are implementing the Forestry Strategy and supporting farmers and the industry to reduce emissions through carbon capture.

My aim is to future proof Ireland’s Agri-Food sector for the benefit of our industry, the environment, and our farm families. It is critical that we work together to keep the agricultural sector in Ireland on a positive trajectory to achieving all our climate targets.