Carlow TD, Pat Deering, appointed to new Oireachtas Climate Committee
'There is no arguing that climate change is a critical issue,' he says.
Fine Gael Carlow TD, Pat Deering, has been appointed to the new Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action.
Deputy Deering, who is Chairperson of the Joint Oireachtas Committee for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, will now also sit on this new committee designed to focus solely on measures to reduce Ireland's carbon emissions.
Speaking after the announcement, Deputy Deering said: “"Farmers can play a vital role in tackling climate change but measures should be put in place to ensure that their livelihood's are not negatively impacted by evolving farming practices.
"The Citizens Assembly have made far reaching suggestions as to what measures we, as a country, must take to tackle climate change.
“The Climate Change Advisory Council has been very clear. We are not doing nearly enough to decarbonise.
“This new Committee will explore all of the various options to make climate action the priority of Government policy and ensure that the appropriate action is taken as a matter of urgency."
The Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine recently published its ‘Report on Climate Change and Sustainability in the Agriculture and Food Sectors.’
In the report, it proposes incentives to encourage farms to adapt to Climate Change.
Deputy Deering said: “There is no arguing that climate change is a critical issue that needs to be addressed urgently.
"The report we have published makes 35 recommendations that identify potential policy solutions for these challenges, representing farming, sectoral, marine and environmental sectors.”
Deputy Deering added: “We must agree on a way forward to tackle the challenges of climate change on agriculture.
"With this report, the Agriculture Committee hopes to assist policy in continuing Irish agriculture’s success story, while finding new successes in sustainability and the environment.
"Investment and political will are needed and with this report, the Committee hopes to provide a basis for engagement between stakeholders and Government, enabling the development of a common agriculture strategy.
“We need to encourage every sector to transition to a low carbon economy, through supports and incentives. This must include agriculture, transport, industry and construction to name a few.
“It is the new Committee on Climate Action plan to engage with relevant stakeholders in these sectors and, together, forge dynamic new policies that can reduce emissions and safeguard all our futures.”