TD calls for fairness in all climate-friendly policies

The Chairman of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and the Marine, Jackie Cahill TD reiterated his calls this week for balance and fairness in all climate friendly policies being implemented in rural Ireland.

In advance of future carbon budgets, the Fianna Fáil TD for Tipperary has called on the Minister for Agriculture to ensure that all policies are both economically and environmentally sustainable. In doing so, Deputy Cahill pointed to issues in the forestry, peat harvesting and livestock sectors, all of which have received a considerable level of focus by the Oireachtas Agriculture Committee, under Cahill’s chairmanship.

Speaking in the Dail, Deputy Cahill said: “We have introduced legislation on peat harvesting that has crippled the horticulture industry. We have bureaucracy in relation to forestry licences which is seriously affecting afforestation levels. And now we have the livestock sector who feel under siege.

“We have carbon budgets, eco schemes, nitrates review, CAP reform.

“Minister, Tánaiste, we are going to be setting carbon budgets in the next couple of weeks. It’s essential that they are economically sustainable as well as environmentally sustainable.

“The beef and dairy sectors are the driving economic force of rural Ireland. Whatever we introduce has to be economically sustainable to allow these industries to survive and prosper.”