The ministers at the centre of negotiations to determine farming’s emissions reduction target for 2030 have indicated to the Irish Farmers Journal a willingness to conclude talks over the coming week.

This would allow the decision to receive formal Cabinet approval next Wednesday. Should the ministers fail to reach an agreement, the decision will likely be postponed until after Dáil Éireann’s summer recess.

Talks between the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue and the Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan were set to resume late on Wednesday, as the decision remains to be made on where exactly on the 22% to 30% reduction scale Ireland’s farming sector will fall.

Minister McConalogue told the Irish Farmers Journal that he was “hoping to come to a conclusion soon” and that Government wanted to “complete the work in the most timely fashion we can”.

He added that his priority in the negotaitions had been to acheive a “balance” between allowing family farms to continue to produce food and reducing emissions from the sector.

Green position

The Irish Farmers Journal asked Minister Ryan if a decision on the target was to be expected this week.

He replied by stating: “I think it’d have to go to Cabinet next Wednesday. Everything has to be signed off by Cabinet.

“I think there is so much work to do, we should get on with a lot of it,” Minister Ryan replied.

Both ministers declined to offer any additional details on the progress of the talks.