Suckler herd emissions cuts
Deputy Naughten warned that proposed agricultural emissions cuts could go beyond what the suckler herd can bear and sought assurances against deeper reductions. The Tánaiste said a viable suckler herd remained important, but emissions had to keep falling and the final package was still being prepared.
Maintaining a strong and viable suckler beef herd is a commitment in the programme for Government. The climate action plan, as we know, was published this week. It sets a target for reducing agricultural emissions by 10% between 2017 and 2030. Based on calf registrations, we had suckler cow emission reductions of 5% in 2018 alone and if the 2019 trend continues, we will have achieved the 13 year target for the suckler sector in 24 months.
In that context, I seek assurances that the Government will not accept a European Commission proposal for even greater cuts to the suckler herd. Such cuts would cause significant job losses across the midlands and west, forcing up to 20,000 people in the region to commute long distances in order to access employment, a development that would add significantly to our overall level of transport emissions.
Comment on this
A vibrant suckler herd is an important part of Irish agriculture. That does not mean that we do not need to constantly strive for more efficiency and to ensure that the emissions footprint of our herd continues to decrease. That goes for the dairy herd too. There is substantial efficiency built into the latter and, from the perspective of emissions, we produce milk in a more efficient way than any other country on the planet. We rate reasonably well in the context of beef but we can do more, while at the same time keeping farmers in business. In the context of the support fund Commissioner Hogan proposes to bring forward and the funding that the Government will bring forward with that, there is a reference in the regulation to a voluntary temporary adjustment to production. The Deputy will be aware that in 2016, when the dairy sector experienced extreme volatility, Ireland received exceptional aid which also involved a voluntary supply reduction sector.
