Danny Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I commend the Regional Group on this very important motion. I have spoken about this issue several times in this House. It will impact on rural counties along the western seaboard and especially Kerry. Much of the land in south Kerry is already taken up by biodiversity but farmers have nonetheless improved their holdings and little fields. I did break my leg in a drain trying to improve a field on our farm, and many other people have had their backs and bones hurt badly doing this kind of work. They were grant-aided because, at that time, if you were not farming your land, it would have been taken off you by the Land Commission. This will impact seriously on many rural towns and villages. If we even take north Kerry as an example, where there is highly arable land now, it benefited from the Arterial Drainage Act 1945. Is all this good work going to be rescinded, with these people drowned out of it again? This will affect towns, villages and houses.

Deputy Cairns said a few moments ago that there will be no future for farming if farmers do not see after biodiversity. Farmers are the custodians of the land and they have always seen after their farms. It is ridiculous to think we are going to rewet land while, at the same time, other entities are sending astronauts to the moon and aeroplanes are flying overhead. There is no comeback to that. What effect are the bombs that are going off daily having? Rockets are going up into the sky with flames under them and the EU wants us to stop burning a few sods of turf in the fire. It has gone mad. I call on the newly elected MEPs to rescind what has gone on at the EU, such as Seán Kelly, Billy Kelleher and Deputy McNamara.

See this speech in context