Michael Collins (Cork South West, Independent) | Oireachtas source

We have very serious concerns about the Government's unwavering support for the EU nature restoration law, following a vote in favour of the drastic rewetting law at the June EU Environment Council in Luxembourg. The law, if implemented, includes legally binding targets that will have detrimental impacts on farmlands and the livelihoods of Irish farmers. The version of the EU nature restoration law approved by the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Deputy Eamon Ryan, and other EU Council members sets stringent and unrealistic targets for Ireland, requiring the rewetting of at least 246,968 ha by 2030, followed by 66,580 ha by 2040, and an astonishing 83,225 ha by 2050. To put this into perspective, these targets would encompass an area nearly the combined size of Dublin, Limerick, Galway and Waterford cities by 2030, and by 2050 an area equivalent to the entire agricultural lands of County Leitrim would be affected.

While the Government asserts that these rewetting plans will be voluntary, it is crucial to recognise that once finalised, they will become legally binding. This raises significant concerns for Irish food production, farmlands and the livelihoods of hard-working farmers. Adding to the apprehension surrounding the law, several EU member states, including Poland, the Netherlands, Italy, Finland and Sweden, have expressed reservations about the feasibility and achievability of the objectives. Yet, the Irish Government, represented by the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan, has chosen to support the law fully without raising any concerns, creating a contradiction between the Government stance at EU level and its actions within Ireland. It is not just the Minister, Deputy Eamon Ryan. We have heard it here this morning. It is the Social Democrats, the Labour Party, People Before Profit, and all of these anti-real farmers and anti-real community parties out there who support this.

Before embarking on a mission to be seen as the greenest boys in the class at EU level, the Government should have carefully considered the potential impact of these proposals on Irish agriculture and farmers' livelihoods. It should have fully consulted farmers and rural communities in a meaningful way. Before committing to any legally binding targets, the livelihoods of farmers and the sustainability of our agriculture sector must be considered. Clearly, this has not occurred in this case.

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