Sacrificing the national herd “at the alter of climate change” would have “no net gain” because Irish agriculture is among the most efficient producers of food, former agriculture minister Michael Creed told the Dáil.

In a Dáil debate on the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Bill, deputy Creed – who served as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine from 2016 to 2020 – also hit out at “unfair criticism” levelled at Irish farming.

The Cork TD lauded the obligation that the Climate Change Advisory Council must be cognisant of carbon leakage “notwithstanding that the weaponised wing of the environmental movement disagrees, and An Taisce came before the Oireachtas committee on agriculture and dissed the issue of carbon leakage”.

“If we were to sacrifice the national herd on the altar of climate change, the reality is that on a global scale, and this is a global challenge, there would be no net gain – because we are one of the most efficient producers of food globally.”

Deputy Creed also highlighted that the Climate Change Advisory Council is also obliged to be cognisant of biogenic methane and its specific characteristics, which he said is an important step.

He noted that Irish agriculture attracts a lot of interest, which he said was understandable because 34% of the emissions in the Irish economy come from the agricultural sector.

However, highlighting the importance of viewing this in context, he said:

“If we were to lift Irish agriculture, lock, stock and barrel, and put it into any other developed country in terms of its modus operandi and its production systems, it would be far more efficient than the production system of any of those jurisdictions.

“The emissions profile, because of the historical industrial heritage other countries have, would be in single digits. It is because of this significant percentage of 34% that we attract unfair heat in the agricultural sector.”

However, the former minister stressed that the agricultural sector needs to embrace the concept of climate change.

“We export 90% of what we produce. The international marketplaces are increasingly cognisant of consumer asks in terms of sustainability.

“The future of Irish agriculture in this context is inextricably linked with efficiency economically but also efficiency from a climate change and sustainability point of view in terms of productivity.”

The Cork North-West TD told the Dáil these improvements must be continued and accelerated, stressing:

“The sector must be seen to embrace the challenge of climate change. There must be no more mealy-mouthed resistance to every step along the journey.

“I would say this to farm leaders, for whom I have the greatest of respect with regard to the challenges they face, they need to step out front and lead in this debate. This is where the long-term interests of Irish agriculture are.”

Taking aim at the pot-shots often levelled at Irish agriculture, deputy Creed said:

“”It is a sad state of affairs that it has come to pass, even within the Oireachtas, that the farming community is now fair game for unfair criticism in many respects from members of all political parties and none.

“This is a significant fact that should be taken on board by farmers and their leaders.

“I have the greatest time and respect for the work and commitment of the farming community. Equally, I know that they hurt because of unfair criticism and that they are doing everything that has been asked of them – much of it unknown to many of the people who are highly critical of them today,” he added.

“It seems that everybody is now an expert on agriculture. It appears to be almost the case that there is a willingness to turn a blind eye to a fundamental fact.

“Whether people are vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian or are meat and two veg people, in the production of food, greenhouse gases are produced. This is an inescapable scientific fact.

“What we should be aspiring to is a move to be a part of what is already under way, which is a global shift to those who are the most economically and environmentally efficient producers of food.

“In essence, this is the question that has to be answered not just here but globally. Who should produce our food? In the context of this debate, it is inescapably the answer that those who should produce it are first and foremost those who do it efficiently from a climate change and sustainability point of view,” the TD concluded.