Food Matters

John Gibbons is one of Ireland's best-known environmental commentators  and a tireless voice on the big environmental issues of our time. John recently published a bestselling book called The Lie of the Land where he sets out in stark terms the effects that climate change will have on Ireland, while also putting forward a game plan for how we can avoid the worst of them, by reimagining the way we use the land.

In this episode of Food Matters, John and Mick Kelly of GIY discuss some of the big food themes tackled in the book, including the farming sector in Ireland, why it's broken, and how it can be fixed; the fragility of Ireland's export-dependent food sector and the case for creating a government department for food security, and why oats might be the solution to our agricultural emissions. Mick and John also tackle the controversy around putting solar farms on agricultural land—and the claim that renewable energy threatens our ability to produce food.

Changing a country’s food system takes longer than an election cycle. In this episode of Food Matters, Mick Kelly speaks with organic farmer and former Minister of State Pippa Hackett about what it takes to pursue long-term change from inside government, and what happens when political momentum moves on.

Pippa reflects on her time as a Green Party minister in the Department of Agriculture, where her responsibilities included biodiversity, land use, forestry, horticulture and organic farming. She discusses the growth of Ireland’s organic sector during her tenure, the resistance that can meet new policy ideas, and why meaningful environmental reform often takes years before its impact becomes visible.

Mick and Pippa also discuss the dramatic decline in the number of commercial growers, the power of supermarkets, the lack of sustained state support and the risks this creates for Ireland’s food security.  Pippa also explains why her own family farm converted to organic production, how lower-input and regenerative approaches can make farms more resilient, and why healthy soil must be treated as the foundation of a sustainable food system.

NOTE: This conversation was recorded several months before publication. Some policy schemes and political developments referenced in the discussion have progressed since the recording, including:

1. The multi-species sward and red-clover schemes 

Since this conversation was recorded, both the Multi-Species Sward and Red Clover Silage Measures were reopened for 2025.

2. TAMS solar funding 

At the time of recording, the relevant tranche of solar funding had been exhausted. The TAMS solar scheme is currently open for applications.

3. The Agri-Food Regulator 

Since recording, additional data-gathering powers have been announced for the Agri-Food Regulator and are scheduled to take effect at the end of 2026.

4. Mercosur 

This conversation was recorded before the EU–Mercosur interim trade agreement came into provisional application on 1 May 2026. Larry Murrin remains chair of Bord Bia, following further controversy, protests and an agreed governance review.

What would make a conventional tillage farmer walk away from the type of farming he had always practised and start all over again?

For Kevin Scully, founder of The Merry Mill organic farm & mill in County Laois, the turning point came in the cab of a tractor. After becoming unwell while spraying crops, he began questioning not only the chemicals he was using, but the economics of modern farming itself. Nearly 30 years later, Kevin has built Ireland's first organic gluten-free oat mill, producing premium foods that are shipped to customers around the world.

In this episode of Food Matters, Kevin joins Mick Kelly of GIY to share the remarkable story of how he changed up the entire business model and work practices of his family farm to build a system that was healthier, more sustainable, and far more economically viable. 

They also discuss the hidden costs of our modern food system, the role of glyphosate and chemical inputs, supporting farmers to produce healthier food, and why Ireland has the potential to become a global leader in premium organic food production.

During an extended trip through South America, Damien Regan's eyes were opened to the vulnerabilities of our global food system and the risks they pose to food security. He returned home determined to better understand these challenges and to help build practical solutions.

In this episode of Food Matters, Damien talks to Mick Kelly of GIY about food security, global supply chains, and why Ireland's dependence on imported food and resources may leave us more exposed than we realise. Along the way, he reflects on the lessons we can learn from history, and the steps communities can take to create a more secure, healthy and sustainable food future.

Brendan Dunford grew up on a farm in County Waterford, but it was the landscape of the Burren that shaped his life’s work. Over the past two decades, he has worked closely with farmers and local communities to show how farming and biodiversity can work together, not against each other.

In this episode of Food Matters, Brendan talks to Mick Kelly of GIY about the pioneering BurrenLIFE project, why listening to farmers matters, and the challenges facing both food production and nature today. Along the way, he reflects on landscape, trust, local knowledge, and why farming can be as much about care and creativity as it is about production.

Jim Power is one of Ireland's best-known economists.  Having grown up on a farm in County Waterford, he has always had a particular passion for the economics of food production and farming. Jim recently crunched 20 years of consumer data that tell an alarming story about the viability of our food production sector, and in this episode, he joins Mick Kelly of GIY to reveal the real-world impact of aggressive retail pricing, rising input costs combined with falling incomes, and policy blind spots.

In a rapidly changing and dangerous world where we rely on imports of cheap food, they also discuss how Ireland can become more food-secure and avoid sleepwalking towards a crisis of shortages.

Check out Jim’s data HERE

What if the modern food system is one of the biggest drivers of disease in our society? Dr. Rupa Marya is an author and physician and a passionate advocate for deep medicine - a way of understanding health that connects our bodies to the land, our food systems and our communities.

In conversation with Mick Kelly of GIY, Rupa talks about the dysfunctional nature of our global food system and the devastating impact that it is having on our bodies and our health. Born in California to Indian immigrant parents, Rupa now lives in Ireland, having moved here to develop a program for Trinity College, Dublin and St. James' Hospital called Farming Is Medicine - a local model of a food system based in the principles and practices of care,  

They also discuss the devastating impact of colonialism on our global food system, why the food you eat may be starving your valuable microbiome as well as poisoning the land,  Ireland’s lack of food security, and why, despite all of the challenges,  Rupa has so much hope for the future.  

Having spent over 15 years cooking in professional kitchens across Ireland and Canada, Eimear Brazil hung up her chef's apron to dedicate herself to inspiring a generation of home cooks. After training at Waterford IT and working in prestigious restaurants including Waterford Castle, Emer moved to Canada where she rose to become head chef and later food and beverage manager at a private ski club. 

But a friend's encouragement to start posting cooking tips online, and a return to her hometown of Waterford, changed everything. In just four months, Eimear’s social media following exploded from 11,000 to nearly 250,000, making The Kitchen Shift one of Ireland's most influential food pages

In this episode of Food Matters, Eimear joins Mick Kelly to share her story: from growing up wanting to be a chef since age 11, to the highs and lows of the hospitality industry, managing a team of 33 staff while battling chronic illness, and the surprising discovery that her real calling might be teaching home cooks how to bring professional techniques into their own kitchens. 

Sarah Richards always thought she would make her living as an artist. To support her painting, she began baking real sourdough bread, selling loaves from the boot of her car around Tramore, Co. Waterford. What started as a side project quickly took on a life of its own.

Today, Seagull Bakery is an established part of Waterford’s food scene, with three bakeries, a growing team, and a strong reputation for proper sourdough made with care, time, and heritage grains. 

In this episode of Food Matters, Sarah talks to Mick Kelly of GIY about the accidental journey from art to baking, what truly defines sourdough (and how to spot “sour-faux”), the pressures facing small independent bakeries, and why questioning food traditions  - even Irish soda bread - matters more than ever. At its heart, this is a story about curiosity, good food, and building something real.

David Currid grows almost 50,000 tomato plants every year at Grantstown Nurseries — the family business his parents started after moving from Dundalk to Waterford in the late 1970s. What began as a single glasshouse is now a major supplier to Ireland’s leading retailers.
 

But it’s a tough time to be a commercial grower. With only a handful of Irish tomato producers left, rising costs, cheap imports and tight margins make every season a battle for survival.
 

In this episode of Food Matters, David talks to Mick Kelly of GIY about the realities of running a small food business today, why building trust with retailers matters, where Irish food systems are heading, and the simple love of growing that keeps him going. And yes — they tackle the age-old question: fruit or vegetable?