Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome members of the IFA and ICSA from counties Offaly and Westmeath who are present for this debate. This is a very serious issue, as the Minister knows. There are well-founded concerns because he has not agreed with the calls for an impact assessment to be carried out. That request is reasonable. There are big calls for written assurances from Bord na Móna, which is a reasonable ask.

Reference has been made in the Chamber to scaremongering and everything else. It is incumbent on us as Deputies to be responsible, ask questions and protect livelihoods, food security and our local and national economy. That is prudent and sensible. I commend the EPP on withdrawing from the negotiations today. It recognised that there are flaws in the legislation. It is not just those of us in the Rural Independent Group who think that. The vote was defeated by a sizeable margin of 32 to 16. The Greens were isolated in the process. The ECR, democracy group and EPP all stood together. Fair play to them. It is a pity that we do not see more progress like that in this House. It seems that people have gone to the loony left and are afraid to call out and state the obvious facts. Do we want our economy and farmers' livelihoods destroyed? No, we do not.

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