The Taoiseach has said he does not think there should be a reduction in the number of cattle in Ireland, saying “no-one in Diageo is saying they should cut back on the beer”.
Simon Harris also said he did not think the decision made by a previous government to expand Ireland’s dairy sector was a mistake.
Ministers have been repeatedly asked whether they think the number of cattle in Ireland should be reduced to help Ireland halve its carbon emissions by 2030.
Speaking in Co Kildare on Thursday, Mr Harris said he did not believe so, comparing it to asking an alcoholic drinks company to cutting down on beer production.
“I think you have to be agile in any sector in the economy, and I think when we talk about agriculture it is a sector in the economy,” he said.
“There isn’t a sector of the economy not having to change. I started my morning at 8am out at Diageo today, a major iconic institution that’s decarbonising its entire St James’s Gate site by 2030.
“No-one is questioning do you need Diageo, do you need less beer? They’re just saying they’re going to do things differently. That’s the sort of approach that we need to bring to farming as well.
“Farming is sometimes seen by people as a discretionary extra, it’s a core part of the Irish economy. So there was no-one in Diageo this morning saying should they cut back on the beer? What they’re saying is how do they do it in an environmentally sustainable way. That’s the approach we need to take with farming.
“I would note when you look at emissions reductions, agriculture is a sector making relative progress compared to other sectors of the economy.
“So I think it’s a question of whether we can actually support the transition.
“When I go around the country and when I engage with farmers … farmers are up for the change, but they also want a family farm at the end of it.
“This is about supporting the family farm, farmers aren’t afraid of change, what they’re afraid though is that sometimes people have a view of change that seems to be about dissing the agrifood sector. We have to do both, we have to have food security, we have to support our oldest, best, indigenous industry and – the planet is on fire – we have to make really significant changes.”
