Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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As an organisation, does the EPA have any contradictions or competing obligations in its role? One of the points that came up at our last meeting with hill farmers was the suggestion that even with very low density stocking rates there would still be an obligation to fence off watercourses, although the land designation would make that impossible without going through an awful rigmarole with paperwork. In some instances, one has to get European approval to put up a small fence. Two environmental obligations are directly in conflict with each other. Does the EPA have a role in addressing or assessing which obligation would take priority?