Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his statement. I welcome the fact that we are having this debate because as we all know in this House, this is a matter of real concern for farmers. I think most of us would agree that the way in which this has been handled in recent weeks has been a mess. Reports of what was being looked at in Europe came as a bit of a surprise to a lot of farmers and it was made known to them through the media, which is not the way this should be done. That is how most farmers learned that this debate and vote were taking place at EU level. Communication around all of this has been poor and that is what has led to a lot of confusion, frustration and annoyance on both sides, from farmers and rural communities and from the environmental perspective as well.

The idea of the EU setting binding targets like this on rewetting lands has caused uproar, and rightly so. We have to take a lesson from this. This is a prime example of how not to do climate action. We have to bring farmers with us on climate action and this is not the way to do that. It is also unacceptable that targets would be determined and asked of farmers with zero information on the possible consequences or impacts. As we all know, no impact assessment has been carried out on this. The Minister said there will be a two-year timeframe for our own national plan. I hope he will be able to tell us when closing the debate if an impact assessment will be carried out. That is important. Overall, what we have seen to date in relation to this issue, which is a matter of real concern to farmers, has been the wrong approach and I hope it will not be repeated.

I am also mindful, and the Minister mentioned this himself, of what is being asked of farmers. We are looking at the potential of removing swathes of agricultural land from use, or it certainly looks like we are, and that is of course a really emotive issue. Looking after land is a way of life for farmers. It always has been. It is important that everyone engaging in this conversation is mindful of that and remembers that is the actual fact. This is not the last proposal we are going to have where there will be varying views, where the environmental perspective and the agricultural perspective are different. We have seen that in Europe already as the agricultural committee has been looking at this and it will soon move to the environmental committee. We are going to have to find a middle ground that takes concerns from both sides into account. The voices of farmers and rural communities have to be heard. That is absolutely critical in any decisions that are made at both national and EU level. When it comes to nature restoration, the protection, restoration and enhancement of biodiversity is something we all want. I believe that can be achieved but it can only happen in partnership with farmers and rural communities. If we do not bring farmers with us, we are not going to achieve the targets that will be set.

I welcome that the Minister spoke about the budget for all of this. Questions remain about the budget for nature restoration at EU level.

There is certainly a lack of long-term clear financial support for nature restoration. If we are serious domestically and at EU level about that, we need a financial commitment from the EU that needs to be separate from the CAP. I welcome what the Minister said about that because we cannot keep depending on the CAP. The policy was initially supposed to be about food security. It has become more and more about the environment. This policy cannot do both. I am not sure at its current funding levels whether it can either-or. We cannot keep depending on the CAP to do more and more so I welcome what the Minister said on that because it is important. Regarding nature restoration or anything else relating to climate targets we must meet, we cannot keep asking and expecting farmers to do more with less. It is not sustainable, which is why it is so important that there should be a new funding stream relating to environmental matters that is separate from CAP. This is really important when we are talking about nature restoration.

The Minister has said and it has been widely reported that rewetting will not be mandatory, which I welcome. It is important to tell farmers that so they know. He said there will be sufficient capacity on State-owned lands but I believe State-owned lands will only get us to the 2030 target. We need further clarification on that because, obviously, the plan is going beyond 2030. It is going to 2050 and farmers really need certainty in that regard. A clear roadmap is needed for them. Targets that will be set at EU level and domestically for this must be realistic and achievable and must be set with farmers, not set for them.

The Minister mentioned Bord na Móna, which has undertaken rewetting 86,000 acres of drained peatlands in the midlands. If rewetting is to be voluntary in whatever plan is put forward in Europe and here, this could become an issue for more farmers. Farmers from the midlands came to the House earlier this month to raise concerns with the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association. They have lands adjoining the project site in the midlands and have sought written assurance from Bord na Móna that it will remedy any damage or unintended consequences that may occur as a result of the rewetting project. The farmers have not been given any written assurance. This needs to be examined and there probably needs to be intervention at ministerial level. We must be clear that farmers who are looking for this assurance from Bord na Móna are not looking for compensation. They are not looking for one red cent; they are looking for a written assurance that should there be any unintended consequences from the rewetting on the lands that are now being rewetted, Bord na Móna will commit to remedying them. The farmers who came to Dublin to speak to us earlier this month mentioned land they have farmed all their lives and that they want to be able to pass on to the next generation and, therefore, that issue has to be resolved. That will become more of an issue if rewetting is introduced on a voluntary basis because there will be farmers who will not take it up and will be concerned about the possible impact on their lands so we have to get this right. The issue needs to be resolved to ensure farmers have confidence in the rewetting project undertaken by Bord na Móna.

This is another example of where the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications has to step in. We cannot have him working on his own regarding the environment and the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and his Department working in another way. I include farmers in that as well. The Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications has to come to the table and engage with farmers and farming organisations directly, not to lecture them, particularly farmers, but to listen to them. That is really important.

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine outlined what he has done to date on this issue but he has also more or less said that this is going to be left to MEPs to bring what they are looking for close to what the Council has outlined. That is all very well and good but only 13 MEPs represent Ireland at EU level and, therefore, I would like to know what more the Minister is going to do because it cannot be left to the MEPs. Some of our MEPs have varying opinions and views on this. It cannot be said that the Minister has done his job at Council level and it is now up to the MEPs to bring the European Parliament up to where the Council is. It is important that he outlines what more he can do.

Could he confirm what the level of engagement with stakeholders will be and what form it will take regarding putting together our national restoration plan because, again, this is really important if we are going to get this right? The targets that will be set have to be set with the farmers and not for them, and we need to get this right. Stakeholder engagement relating to putting together our own plan will be really important. Could the Minister examine the issue facing farmers relating to the rewetting being undertaken by Bord na Móna that has been widely publicised? As they have said themselves, they are not looking for one red cent; they are looking for an assurance regarding their land and it is only fair that they get it. It is important with regard to further rewetting.

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