The Irish food sector must be considered during negotiations on agricultural emissions targets according to a Longford TD.
Deputy Joe Flaherty believes a 22 percent carbon reduction is the only achievable measure and he's now calling on the Environment Minister to listen to the Inspectorate at the Department of Agriculture.
While the Green Party would like the final cut to be closer to 30 percent The Fianna Fail representative claims scientific evidence shows the realistic percentage is at the lower end of the scale.
Speaking on the Joe Finnegan Show Deputy Flaherty insists farmers are willing to make changes but the food industry here must be protected.
''To achieve anything at the lower range of 22% over a decade it's going to require a significant transformative change in the sector on a scale not seen before for Irish agriculture. It's a seismic warning not only for agriculture but also for the whole Irish food sector. We're a net exporter of our food. The Irish food sector is a huge industry here and in County Longford and it's something we have to value, something we have to protect.''
