The relatively small amount of money being invested by the Department of Agriculture into emission reduction calls into question its intentions, according to Independent TD Denis Naughten.

Agriculture is the biggest emitter of greenhouse gases in Ireland and biogenic methane emissions from ruminant livestock have come into sharper focus following the passing of the Climate Bill last week.

However, Deputy Naughten said that information he received from Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue shows that that just €2m is being invested in finding ways to reduce biogenic methane.

...the momentum will remain with the anti-cattle element of the environmental lobby until the science supports an alternative approach

“We are exporting €8bn in beef and dairy products every year, but we are investing only €2m or 0.025% in addressing agricultural methane, which leads to the question: has the Department of Agriculture thrown in the towel already?,” Naughten asked.

“At present, the only way to reduce methane from agriculture in any significant way is through herd reduction and the momentum will remain with the anti-cattle element of the environmental lobby until the science supports an alternative approach.”

He asked if it was any wonder that Minister for Climate Eamon Ryan had rejected an amendment he had tried to make to the bill and said that the failure to properly fund research meant that Irish farming had been left open to “the anti-cattle lobby of so-called environmentalists”.

The fact remains that managing our land use better can take even more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

He also referenced the plight of people in his own Roscommon constituency of Lough Funshinagh and pointed out that nothing could be further from the truth that people in the countryside were not on board with climate change measures, as they were the most affected.

However, he added that they needed real, concrete proposals to get behind.

“There are many more farmers in a similar situation waiting for the farmyard relocation scheme, promised five years ago, to be launched by the Department of Agriculture,” he said.

“The fact remains that managing our land use better can take even more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, reducing its harmful effects on the climate and the oceans far quicker than shutting down farming, but we still don’t have the science to support such an approach.

"If the example of funding for agricultural methane is anything to go by, we won’t have such evidence until long after cattle become a rare sight in our fields!”