Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 May 2021
384. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if cognisance was taken of the extent to which the agri-food sector here has always been more compliant with carbon reduction objectives than most others; the way the policy will be incorporated in the future without damaging the agri-food sector while meeting targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27384/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government has recently approved the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021. The Bill will support Ireland’s transition to Net Zero emissions and achievement of a climate neutral economy by 2050. The agricultural sector is already contributing to the national effort to address the climate challenge and will continue to do so.
Being grass-based, Ireland’s production system is considered carbon efficient and therefore one of the most sustainable places in the world to produce high quality lamb, beef and dairy.
In December 2020, I launched “Ag-Climatise”, a new climate and air road map for agriculture. This roadmap, which is a living document, provides the sector with the overall direction necessary to allow coordination of the application of measures and initiatives that will enhance the removals of both GHG emissions from our production systems and CO2 from our atmosphere.
This week, at the launch of the Teagasc "SignPost" programme on climate action, involving 100 demonstration farms across the country, I highlighted that agriculture has a critically important social, economic and environmental value to Ireland and that as a sector, farming has a history of embracing change and a shared desire to leave the farmed environment in a better condition for the next generation.
I am acutely aware of the enormity of this challenge for the sector and for this reason, I believe that the successor strategy to Food Wise 2025 can play an important role in providing a framework for helping to realise this ambition.
The draft agri-food Strategy for 2030 was recently launched for public consultation on the Strategy itself and its environmental assessment. The public consultation is available at the following link: gov.ie - Public Consultation on the Environmental Assessment of the Draft Agri-Food Strategy to 2030. (www.gov.ie), and will remain open until the 15th of June. The Committee will take the outcome of the public consultation process into account before finalising the Strategy this summer. The high level vision of the Committee is that, “Ireland will become a world leader in Sustainable Food Systems over the next decade”, taking a food systems approach in ensuring the economic, environmental and social sustainability of the sector a whole. Its environmental ambition is aligned with the Government target of net zero by 2050.
