The EU green deal cannot become the yellow deal for rural Ireland, with farms overgrown with ragwort, gorse or fir bushes. This is now a possibility because EU climate policy does not reflect scientific evidence. We must dramatically reduce CO2 but we need a different approach from the CO2 equivalent concept, particularly for methane from cattle. I ask that Ireland urgently take the lead at EU level to ensure there will be a robust, science-based green deal to replace the current, flawed policy, which is a political rather than scientific solution to climate change.

We have responded positively to the announcements of a new EU green deal. It will require a response from every EU member state that is more ambitious than anything we have planned for, but that is the way the world is going and we need to follow that. Having said that, rural Ireland and agriculture need to transition in the context of the climate challenge, but can do so and grow and expand at the same time. That is our current agricultural policy and it will continue to be. Ireland has an obligation to be a leader in this area in the EU, given the size of the agricultural sector versus other sectors from an emissions perspective in our economy, as the Deputy will know better than most, in light of the Ministry he previously held. We need to bring about change but we need to work with farmers to do so. That will be a big part of the next round of the CAP negotiation.