William Aird (Laois, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is a great honour for me to be here today and speak for the first time in this Chamber. As a representative for the people of Laois, I thank my constituents for their trust and my family, friends and supporters for their unwavering encouragement. I waited a long time to get here. I was first elected in 1979, the then youngest person ever elected to public life at 19 years of age. As an admirer of Nelson Mandela who said "A winner is a dreamer who never gives up", I am the dreamer. I never gave up and I am a winner speaking here this morning representing the people of Laois.

I wish to ensure that County Laois gets its fair share of investment and opportunity. Our county is at the heart of Ireland, yet too often it has been overlooked. We need real investment and infrastructure; better roads, reliable public transport and broadband to support businesses and communities. Housing remains a huge challenge. Too many young people in Laois are struggling to buy or rent a home. We must cut the red tape, build more houses and ensure that rural families can build in their own communities.

Supporting working families is essential. The cost of living is putting people under pressure and we must ease that burden, whether through lower childcare costs, better healthcare access or tax relief for those who work hard. Safer communities must be a priority. Crime and anti-social behaviour are on the rise and we need more gardaí and stronger protections for our towns and villages.

I came here to deliver for Laois and for our country and to fight for investment, fairness and opportunity. I will work every day to ensure my county's voice is heard loud and clear. A strong message from rural Ireland means strong long local services, schools and Garda stations. Agriculture is the backbone of rural Ireland and farmers need fair prices, practical supports and policies that work with them, not against them.

On the proposals for peat soils, it is unacceptable that an important issue, one that will directly impact the livelihood of thousands of farmers, has been discussed behind closed doors without any farmer representation at the table. Farmers' representatives have rightly pointed out that these proposals, which include the rewetting of 80,000 ha of peat land, were discussed at a meeting of so-called invited stakeholders; a meeting from which farmers were absent. How can the Government justify this? How can we claim to support engagement and co-operation when the very people affected by these decisions were excluded from the discussion?

Let us be clear; the top-down approach that is taken by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is completely out of touch with the principles of fairness and transparency. If we are serious about tackling climate change and enhancing sustainability in agriculture, we should be serious then. We must also be serious about working with farmers and not against them. Imposing decisions without consultation will only lead to resistance and resentment, which serves no one's interests. Farmers are the custodians of the land and understand better than anyone how to manage and care for it, yet farmers are repeatedly facing increasing regulations, restrictions and bureaucracy. Farmers feel abandoned and disrespected by those in power.

The Government is committed to the principles of engagement and co-operation and we must start by listening to farmers. I call for immediate transparency regarding these proposals. The Department must engage with farming representatives to hear their concerns and ensure that any future decisions regarding peat soils are made in full consultation with those who actually work the land. We cannot allow a situation where farmers are simply dictated to by bureaucrats and policymakers who will never experience the economic and emotional burden of changes that decide their future.

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