Farmers have made significant progress in reducing emissions by improving their efficiency through measures such as: improved breeding, grassland management and the use of animal waste. They have proven both their awareness and long-term commitment. I have been contacted by numerous farmers from across County Tipperary who have expressed their mounting concern at the demands and expectations currently being placed on their shoulders. The underlying message is that they are willing and prepared to make changes, they know the changes are needed and they accept and agree that they have a crucial role to play. The changes required of farmers must be realistic and achievable and must be fair to keep them on board. It is pointless to set targets that are unattainable and impossible to deliver. Placing such demands on the farming community will only serve to alienate them. Ireland needs a thriving agricultural sector. It has, and always will be, the backbone of our rural economy. When does the Tánaiste expect the Government will be in a position to make a decision on these matters.

I thank the Ceann Comhairle. I also thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Discussions are ongoing at governmental level across all sectors and range over the points in respect of emissions targets. The Deputy raised a valid point, which is that farmers and our farming sector have been on a journey of transition for some time. We continue to produce our food more efficiently and with a better carbon profile. That is our ambition and farmers are adopting new measures through a range of approaches. We want to continue doing that into the future so that we future-proof our sector in line with our Food Vision 2030 strategy in order that we increase the value of the produce in the markets that our farmers sell into. Those markets all have a higher ambition and future-proofing of the sector is the right thing for us to do. We will continue to produce food into the future with a better emissions profile and we intend to continue to work to support the sector to do that.