Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 10, to delete lines 28 to 31 and substitute the following: “ “Licensing threshold” means 2,000 cubic meters or more in any 24-hour period;”.

I welcome the Minister of State to the House. I am mindful that I sit on the Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The committee discussed this legislation at some length.I am also mindful that I am a member of the Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The Irish Farmers Association, IFA, made a submission to many Oireachtas Members requesting amendments and I have a copy of it in front of me. These are not my amendments. These nine amendments were not thought up by some sort of genius, Victor Boyhan; they are the result of engagement with the IFA and it has clearly set them out. The rationale has been somewhat simplified by me, and I will set it out.

I welcome the spirit of co-operation shown by the Minister of State. In proposing the amendments, I am conscious of the strong association between the IFA and the major political parties in this House, and the fact that the IFA has an Oireachtas liaison officer, who is in the House as we speak. I have met a number of them. I will not dwell too long on the amendments. I respect that the Minister of State has a function and role in regard to each of them. It is important to state that.

The IFA has advocated for the licensing of the thresholds of 2,000 cu. m or more in any 24-hour period. Currently, the legislation before us states that licensing thresholds can be defined as set out in the legislation. The current interpretation in terms of the rationale of this amendment is that the licensing threshold gives the Minister too much power, which is what the IFA says, and creates too much uncertainty for farmers and small businesses in agriculture. If the Minister wishes to increase the licensing threshold, he or she should be required to bring amendments to the legislation before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The context is that the IFA considers that the proposed legislation is too uncertain and not specific as it would allow the Minister to change the level of licensing threshold without recourse to the Oireachtas. This creates too much uncertainty for farmers and small businesses. The legislation should be clear, specific and based on the specific current proposed licensing and registration thresholds of 2,000 cu. m in any 24-hour period or 25 cu. m in any 24-hour period, respectively.

That is the rationale behind the amendment. These are IFA amendments. I believe it is important to be a conduit in this House and to support distinguished bodies like the IFA that have a significant track record in agriculture. The Minister of State represents a rural constituency in Westmeath, and he will appreciate and know of its commitment to agricultural and rural communities. There is some logic and reasonable rationale behind this amendment. I look forward to his response.