The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 20 Sep, 2021

Relevant Matter Legislation

Public Policy Area Environment

Period 1 May, 2021 to 31 Aug, 2021

Specific Details Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021

Intended results Carbon Budget Definition - That the definition of carbon budgets in the Bill must take account of removals as well as emissions. The current definition is not consistent with the overall climate goal. Biogenic Methane - In setting the Carbon Budget the Climate Advisory Council should exclude biogenic methane. There was a clear commitment in the Programme For Government that the special characteristics of biogenic methane be taken into account. The only logical meaning of this, along with the commitment in the climate objective - to reduce the extent of future climate warming- is that biogenic methane would remain steady. If emissions from biogenic methane are constant over a 12-year period there is no contribution to additional global warning Carbon Leakage - In the Climate Bill, carbon leakage is defined as ‘the transfer, due to climate policies, of production to other countries with less restrictive policies with regard to greenhouse gas emissions”. Section 8 requires the Government to take into account potential carbon leakage arising from transfer in production in other countries. However, it says that the Government should take into account ‘substantial and unreasonable' carbon leakage. That the reference to ‘substantial and unreasonable' should be removed from the Bill. The implication that we should facilitate ‘reasonable' or insubstantial carbon leakage. That Irish farmers' current sustainability credentials are fully acknowledged. That the special economic and social role of agriculture is recognised in section 6 but this should also be something the Climate Advisory Council should have to take into account under section 9 (a) ii To highlight that there are flaws in this Bill which could be ironed out if Minister Ryan was willing to take on board amendments suggested by IFA, or some of the 200 amendments proposed in the Dáil. To highlight the three main difficulties with the proposed legislation. • Farms remove carbon from the atmosphere, but this is not recognised in the definition of carbon budgets in the Climate Bill. • As it is currently drafted, it will also result in 'carbon leakage'. Less food will be produced in Ireland, with more produced in countries with a higher carbon footprint, which will actually increase global warming. • The Programme for Government and the Climate Bill refers to taking account of 'the distinct characteristics' of biogenic methane in setting climate budgets. Yet there are no specifics in the Bill as to how this will be practically applied. Neither is there any proposal for a separate biogenic methane target. To stress that agriculture be treated fairly in the Carbon Budgeting and Sectoral Targets process. To welcome the decision at Committee stage in the Seanad to accept two amendments to the Climate Action Bill.These give full recognition for carbon removals as part of the carbon budgets and sectoral targets. To ensure that agriculture is treated fairly in the Carbon Budgeting and Sectoral Targets process. To highlight that Ministers Ryan and McConalogue must confirm that carbon removals will be accounted for fairly. To stress that the Government should take more time to scrutinise the Bill and stop the headlong rush to have it on the Statute Book before the summer recess. To highlight that Biogenic Methane, by its nature, has different characteristics to other greenhouse gases; something which is increasingly recognised internationally. To highlight that while the Climate Bill mentions the special characteristics of biogenic methane, IFA feels this does not go far enough and further clarity is needed.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Tim Cullinan IFA President, Paul O'Brien IFA Environment Chair, Damian McDonald IFA Director General, Tadhg Buckley IFA Director of Policy, Geraldine O'Sullivan IFA Environment Senior Policy Executive, Edel McEvoy IFA Policy ExecutiveLiam Delaney Laois IFA, Elaine Farrell IFA Director of Governance & Oireachtas Engagement

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (6-10)

Informal communication (2-5)

Virtual Meeting (6-10)

Phone call (11-20)

Submission (2-5)

Social Media (11-20)

Email (11-20)

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Eamon Ryan Minister (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)

Brian Carroll Assistant Secretary (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)

Paul Kenny Special Adviser (Department of Environment, Climate and Communications)

Brendan Gleeson Secretary General (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Charlie McConalogue Minister (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Colm Markey MEP (European Parliament)

Barry Cowen TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Kehoe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Barry Andrews MEP (European Parliament)

Mick Wallace MEP (European Parliament)

Pádraig O'Sullivan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Matt Shanahan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Violet Anne Wynne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Holly Cairns TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael McNamara TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Sean Canney Minister of State (Department of Public Expenditure and Reform)

David Cullinane TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Gerard Craughwell Senator (Seanad)

Brian Leddin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Christopher O'Sullivan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jackie Cahill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Charles Flanagan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brian Stanley TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Seán Fleming TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Carol Nolan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Denis Naughten TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Violet Anne Wynne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Joe Carey TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Cathal Crowe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael McNamara TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Billy Kelleher MEP (European Parliament)

Chris MacManus MEP (European Parliament)

Ciarán Cuffe MEP (European Parliament)

Clare Daly MEP (European Parliament)

Frances Fitzgerald MEP (European Parliament)

Grace O'Sullivan MEP (European Parliament)

Luke "Ming" Flanagan MEP (European Parliament)

Maria Walsh MEP (European Parliament)

Seán Kelly MEP (European Parliament)

Timmy Dooley TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Paul Kehoe TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Regina Doherty Senator (Seanad)

Tim Lombard Senator (Seanad)

Seán Kyne Senator (Seanad)

Maria Byrne Senator (Seanad)

John Cummins Senator (Seanad)

Joe O'Reilly Senator (Seanad)

Garret Ahearn Senator (Seanad)

Martin Conway Senator (Seanad)

Aisling Dolan Senator (Seanad)

Paddy Burke Senator (Seanad)

Micheál Carrigy Senator (Seanad)

Seán Kelly MEP (European Parliament)

Michael Lowry TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Healy-Rae TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Danny Healy-Rae TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Peter Burke Minister of State (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage)

Martin Heydon Minister of State (Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine)

Charlie McConalogue Minister of State (Department of Justice)

Christopher O'Sullivan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Jennifer Whitmore TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Malcolm Noonan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Regina Doherty TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

John McGuinness TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Róisín Garvey Senator (Seanad)

Malcolm Byrne TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Fiona O'Loughlin TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Michael Moynihan TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Brendan Smith TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Erin McGreehan Senator (Seanad)

Jackie Cahill TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)

Dara Calleary TD (Dáil Éireann, the Oireachtas)