Results 661-680 of 4,573 for speaker:Brian Leddin

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: I commend the Minister for bringing the Bill to the House. It is certainly a mammoth piece of work that, as Deputy Matthews said, will have a generational impact because we will be living with the consequences, good or bad, of this Bill for many years to come. I hope the Minister has got it right. Getting it right is critical because if we want to create a healthy, happy and thriving...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: I have received apologies from Deputy Alan Farrell and Senator Lynn Boylan. The purpose of this morning's meeting is to discuss the review of the climate action plan 2023 with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Minister and his officials are very welcome. Before we begin, I will read out a note on privilege. I remind the witnesses of the long-standing parliamentary...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: I thank the Minister for his opening statement and the detail that is in it. At the outset, I commend the Minister, as I would any Minister who is leading a Department that is going through a significant change in the next few years. Agriculture certainly is one of the principal ones. Deputy Bruton needs to leave. Does the Deputy want to come in to ask a question now? I can bring the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: If the Deputy can come back, that would be good. I thank the Deputy for that. Deputy Whitmore is next.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: Does the Minister want to respond to that?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: I thank Deputy Whitmore. I will use this Government slot as no other Government members are indicating. I wish to pick up the Deputy's question on the challenge of sustainable food production and how we use land. I will focus on dairy. It is arguably the food the wider world needs and it is premium markets we are sending it to, which is certainly good for our economy and for those...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: My apologies for interrupting Deputy Murphy, but I have received a message from Deputy O’Rourke, who needs to go.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: Does Deputy O’Rourke wish to contribute now? He is tight on time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: We can be if Deputy Murphy has lots of questions.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: The Minister has helpfully answered in terms of nitrous oxide. Any reduction is very welcome. Has it decreased by 33%?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: Nitrous oxide is between 200 and 300 times worse than CO2 as a greenhouse gas so it is critically important to reduce such emissions. If you can reduce nitrous oxide at all, it makes the challenge a lot easier. To be fair to the Minister, the reduction is due to the promotion of better farming practices and farming without excess use of nitrogen. A lot of it is due to the price increase...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: That is very interesting. Is this research that is being done relatively new? Does this knowledge need to be imparted across the sector? What is the uptake like or what do we expect uptake to be like?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: That is very interesting. I thank the Minister for that. Seldom do we get this kind of engagement and so much time. Deputy Bruton has returned. Does he want to come in again?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: There is a question mark, however, because a number of companies that have the Origin Green certification were investigated. That needs to be addressed.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: I am conscious of the Minister's time constraint. Deputy Whitmore has a quick question on the same issue.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: We would appreciate if the Minister could send that note, addressing the concerns outlined from the Department's point of view, to the secretariat. Copies of it will then be circulated to members. I have a quick final question regarding the Ag Climatise action on the future of farming dialogue. Where are we at on that action at this point?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: I would appreciate that. This has been a very interesting meeting. I thank the Minister for his engagement and for staying a little later than scheduled. I thank him for all the work he is doing in steering the sector in the right direction. There is a lot still to do but a lot is being done. I thank members for their engagement this morning.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: Apologies have been received from Deputy Alan Farrell and Senator Boylan. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss and review the Climate Action Plan 2023. I welcome the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan. As usual, before I begin, I will read out a note on privilege. I remind our guests of the long-standing parliamentary practice that they...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Climate Action Plan Review: Discussion (Resumed) (30 Nov 2023)

Brian Leddin: I thank the Minister. An annual revision of the climate action plan is built into the Climate Act 2021 and the provision is that this committee must come back year after year, and if we are off track, we revise the plan. We are off track, notwithstanding that a lot of good work has been done in all sectors, and we are here to try to inform the next iteration of the climate action plan,...