Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Government's acceptance of the Regional Group's motion. Equally, we insist that the concerns raised by us are taken into account during implementation.

Obviously, there is widespread awareness of the need for ecological restoration. By degrees, we have damaged our ecosystem and are knowingly driving it to the verge of ruin. We each have a moral responsibility to do all that we can to counteract nature’s decline. It is our duty to secure our world for the generations to come.

In simple terms, helping to restore the ecosystem involves creating the environmental conditions that make it easier for plants and animals in the habitat to recover. Restoration is a process aimed at assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged or even destroyed. The types of restoration measures needed can vary from one ecosystem to another and depend on its current state of degradation, species composition and its sensitivity to change. Restoration can involve either passive or active measures. Passive restoration could, for example, involve protecting an area from human burdens and then allowing it to recover naturally over a period. In such cases, simply removing the pressures and threats on the area is all that is required to enable the ecosystems, their habitats and their species to recover naturally.

Unfortunately, active restoration is the method that is most often used at this point. This is required where the ecosystems have been heavily degraded or in cases where regular management is needed. This process involves not only removing the source of damage, but also taking actions that will encourage and assist in the recovery of the process. These methods most commonly involve restoring hydrological conditions, such as removing invading undergrowth, in addition to adapting management and land use practices. It can also involve reconnecting a river with a surrounding flood plain, resulting in the rewetting of the previously drained land.

It cannot be disputed that we urgently need to take steps to try to right some of the wrongs that have led us to the point where this has become a crisis, nor can we deny that there is no longer time to sit back and wonder what the future holds. The sombre prospects for our natural environment are staring each of us in the face. The ecological catastrophe that exists was not caused intentionally. It has evolved through a lack of knowledge and recognition that damage was being caused. In past decades while awareness was growing, there was no great sense of urgency in taking steps to halt its progress.

Safeguarding our environment should be a collective responsibility. It is a shared duty that we all bear. Across the world, it is generally the case that there are certain sectors where the impact of this responsibility will be more keenly felt. The argument is that the efforts of these select sectors will ensure faster and more durable results. Consequently, they are targeted and bear the brunt of emission reductions and financial costs. This is the risk and the hazard to Irish farmers. Farmers are the custodians of our land bank. They know how to sensibly manage and care for the land. Farmers, more than anyone else, respect nature. That is why the Government must give a firm guarantee that agricultural activities can and will continue as they have always done on farmland across the country and that the agricultural sector will not become the financial fall guy in our efforts to achieve our aims.

Our country cannot shirk our responsibilities or fail to play our part in the mammoth task that lies ahead, and neither do we wish to, but as we strive to protect our critical ecosystem, we must remain cognisant of the fact that those who can do most to achieve this must not and should not be placed under any financial burden in their efforts. The concern surrounding the nature restoration law for Irish farmers remains the lack of clarity on how the law will be financed if it is implemented. There is also immediate worry about the inclusion of non-deterioration in Article 4 regarding its impact on Natura 2000 farmers.

For the longer term all farmers share the anxiety regarding the absence of the economic impact assessment. This is a grave omission that serves to increase worry and concern. For many farmers it is conspicuous by its absence. If such a document were in place, it would help farmers and those aligned with agriculture to gain an understanding of how the nature restoration law will affect farm production choices in the years ahead.

While farmers are fully aware that Ireland has the potential to meet its targets up to 2030 by using land owned by the State, they are equally conscious of the fact that this is now fewer than six years away. They know that in the context of planning for their futures, this is a relatively short time. Once this 2030 commitment has run its course, all eyes will turn to the use of farmland. This is why we need a nature restoration plan that balances climate action with the voluntary use of farmlands and protects farm livelihoods. Equally critical is the need for a guarantee that land remains classified as agriculture under CAP. Farmers need a solid pledge from the Government that agricultural activities can and will continue on their lands without jeopardising targets set by the nature restoration law. I acknowledge the commitment of the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, on these matters and certainly hope the commitments and promises made today will be enshrined in whatever legislation is brought before this House.

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