The publication of a key policy report advising Government on how to ensure the burden of farming and land use emissions cuts is shared has been delayed.

The National Economic and Social Council (NESC) was due to launch its policy report on Friday morning, but the document was delayed as “the file didn’t go down on time” for Government for approval, according to deputy head of the NESC and assistant secretary general in the Department of an Taoiseach, Elizabeth Canavan.

The working group established for the report was chaired by head of agri-food business at Cork University Business School, Professor Thia Hennessey, who also chaired the Food Vision Beef and Sheep Group.

Prof Hennessey described the report as being of “national importance and global significance”. Discussions informing the report’s findings were “robust but respective and constructive”, she said.

Teagasc study

The delay comes just one week after the publication of a peer-reviewed paper, published by Teagasc, cast significant doubt on the accuracy of the land use emissions figures currently used in national emissions reporting.

Researchers found that the emissions from drained and farmed grasslands could be overstated by as much as 60%.

The area of drained grassland on soils currently used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emissions reporting is assumed to be 350,000ha, but Teagasc found this area to only cover 90,000ha to 120,000ha.

The EPA is currently consulting with experts on the finding and it told the Irish Farmers Journal that “this new research will be incorporated into the national inventory as soon as is practical”.