Sir, – There are apparently stark differences between the parties on how to lower emissions in the agricultural sector. Agriculture accounts for 33 per cent of greenhouse emissions in Ireland, transport 22 per cent and households approximately 10 per cent.
If the aim is to reduce emissions then logically one would concentrate on the sector emitting 33 per cent. Apparently not so. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil "have argued that larger emissions reductions in other departments would compensate for a smaller fall in the agricultural sectors" ("Differences' emerge over agriculture at government formation talks", News, June 2nd ).
Once again the winners are the farming lobby groups. It was ever thus. If farmers are self-employed business people, which I believe they are, then they must learn to adapt to market conditions and relevant regulations. If not, they should sell up or go out of business, as is the norm in the self-employed world.
Agriculture is no longer the big beast it once was in Ireland, and the narrative that farmers are a special case has long ago worn thin with voters. Perhaps our politicians would reflect on this when allocating the costs associated with emissions reductions. – Yours, etc,
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DONAL O’SULLIVAN,
Blackrock, Co Dublin.