TDs have hit out at the Nature Restoration Law which was ratified by the Council of Ministers in Luxembourg this morning, describing it as a “black day for Irish farmers, especially those on peaty soil” and as “the last sting of a dying Green wasp”.
However, the Green Party said it was a “good day for nature and a good day for the millions of people who have understood and campaigned for the vital importance of protecting and restoring our natural world”.
The law was adopted after months of negotiations today after Austria broke a deadlock by flipping on the measure, despite the Austrian federal chancellor Karl Nehammer saying Sunday that the Austrian climate minister is “not entitled to commit” the country in such regard.
Roscommon Galway TD, Michael Fitzmaurice said it was a “significant and troubling development for Irish farmers working on peaty soil.”
He said that the measure has far-reaching implications that “have not been fully considered, particularly for those farming in rural areas of Ireland”.
“I have always stated that between now and 2030, the state will be able to manage the transition,” he said. “However, the real problem will emerge post-2030, especially for smaller farmers farming on peaty soil across this country. The entire economic and social ecosystem of Rural Ireland is in jeopardy”
“There has been a persistent campaign from the Green Party, supported by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, pushing for this legislation,” he added.
Fitzmaurice further emphasised the long-term impact, warning: “Twelve to fifteen years ago, I cautioned about the Habitats Directive and its consequences. Unfortunately, the people of Lough Funshinagh have found out the hard way that a turlough takes priority over their homes and livelihoods – this is bad law.”
“Today, I am warning about the nature restoration law. Farmers and the public must understand that we are being gradually shut down,” he claimed.
Fitzmaurice highlighted the regional impacts, stating: “The West, the Midlands, the North West, and the South West will experience severe consequences down the road. The European Elections aren’t over a wet week and it’s plough-on from Europe.”
He said that with the law now ratified, the focus shifts to its implementation and the potential repercussions for the agricultural sector. “The call to action is clear – stakeholders must remain vigilant and proactive in addressing the challenges posed by this new regulation,” he added. “Voluntary is the buzzword, but if you look for CAP next year and you are from peaty soil you will have to undertake not to shore, drain, or plough your lands once your application is in. ”
“So, if that’s voluntary I’d hate to see compulsory legislation because farmers cannot survive without their CAP payment.”
Offaly TD, Carol Nolan, described the EU Restoration Law vote as “the last sting of a dying Green wasp”.
She said that “profound opposition” will continue to characterise most farmers’ responses to the controversial law.
Deputy Nolan said that the recent EU elections made it ‘abundantly clear’ that the people of the European union member states were ‘sick and tired of having mandatory, so-called, green policies rammed down their throat’:
“The Greens were delivered almost total annihilation at EU level in the recent elections, losing the majority, if not all, of their MEPs in several member states including Ireland,” said Deputy Nolan.
“Yet despite this resounding rejection we are now stuck with the legislative ghost of Greens past with a restoration law that will create nothing but high levels of future uncertainty and the imposition of yet another raft of mandatory objectives.”
“Farmers and food security are not served by a law whose outcomes will only make it harder to produce sufficient amounts of produce on less and less land reserved exclusively for agriculture,” concluded Deputy Nolan.
However, Minister of State for Nature, Malcolm Noonan TD, said that “Ireland has led from the front on nature restoration over the last two years, and that is down to the Green Party.”
“We negotiated hard to ensure cross-party support in Government, brought the overwhelming majority of the opposition with us, secured the votes of Irish MEPs at a critical time when we thought all might be lost, advocated for nature among our European colleagues, and delivered a Climate and Nature Fund of €3.15bn to support the implementation of the NRL at home.”