Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 21 October 2021
377. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the steps being taken to ensure that compliance with worldwide carbon reduction targets here do not become utilised as a means of replacing levels of production here with imports from third countries which do not appear to comply with any level of carbon reduction requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51922/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Agriculture sector has a critically important social, economic, and environmental role in Ireland and like other sectors it will play its part in meeting the climate challenge.
We must ensure that agriculture contributes to climate change mitigation together with protecting our environment, while continuing to support vibrant rural and coastal communities.
Ireland’s agri-food system is a unique one that supports so many areas of our economy. It is dominated by livestock with 80% of our agricultural area in grassland producing beef and dairy products that are exported to 180 countries all over the world.
The sector accounts for 8% of all employment and 10% of all exports that leave Ireland are Ag-food-based. I recently launched our Food Vision 2030 strategy that targets increasing food exports to €21billion by 2030.
Ireland’s agri-food system has a global reputation for quality and safety, primarily based on a sustainable grazed grass approach. Global demand for high quality food is increasing in line with increases in global population, urbanisation and affluence, and the Irish agri-food sector is well placed to play a role in meeting this demand.
Agriculture must do its share of the climate ask and absolute emissions from the sector must fall over the years ahead. However, this does not mean that Ireland needs to change from our role as a producer and exporter of safe, high quality and sustainably produced food.
Food Vision 2030 sets out a pathway to Ireland becoming a world leader in Sustainable Food Systems over the next decade and this will be the basis for the future competitive advantage of the sector. By adopting an integrated food systems approach, Ireland will become a global leader of innovation for sustainable food and agriculture systems, producing safe, nutritious, and high-value food while protecting and enhancing our natural resources and contributing to vibrant rural and coastal communities within the national economy.
The long-standing policy of supplying an increasingly diversified range of export markets and developing new high-value markets will continue. As a result, I do not envisage a replacement of Irish products in the marketplace, rather the focus on continuing to reduce the carbon-footprint of our produce. I am very confident that we can transition the sector to be more sustainable, with benefits for water, air quality and biodiversity, while continuing to meet market demands.
