Ireland’s newest political party, Renua Ireland, has a number of candidates with farming links and says that ‘farming is at the heart of Ireland’s identity’.
Renua Ireland was launched this morning at the Science Gallery at TCD in Dublin by party leader Lucinda Creighton.
“Farming is at the heart of Ireland’s identity. Renua believes that agriculture and small rural enterprise are the foundation of the regeneration of rural Ireland. Independent communities are only sustained by economic self sufficiency,” Renua says.
Billy Timmins, the former Fine Gael spokesperson on agriculture, will be the deputy leader of the party. Speaking this morning he said that the party is open for business across the public sector and the farming community.
Speaking at the launch of Renua, Creighton said that the party has ‘a shared vision for all our citizens wherever they live’, be that in rural Ireland or elsewhere.
Jason Fitzgerald a dairy farmer from Co. Cork is a declared candidate for Renua Ireland. Fitzgerald is the Chairman and Co-Founder of Irish Farmers with Designated Land, an interest group set up to increase compensation given to farmers who have land which is the native habitat of the hen harrier, the party says.
“Jason is concerned with the rural affairs, agriculture and agri- business. He believes that there needs to be a re-allocation of CAP funding to support marginalised farmers and that more needs to be done to encourage young farmers to stay within the agri industry,” the party says.
John Leahy, an independent member of Offaly County Council was elected in 2009 and re-elected in 2014. Leahy is a passionate advocate for rural Ireland and is working with the party’s policy team to devise strategies to bring new hope to rural communities, Renua says.
“As part of the Reboot Ireland national tour he has listened to the self-employed, farmers and business groups expressing their strong concerns on these matters,” it says.
Another declared candidate for Renua is Eamonn Murray who is a member of the Love Leitrim Group, which is campaigning against fracking for natural gas in Belcoo, Co. Fermanagh. Murray also participated in the CART programme, which organises transport to rural areas of Cavan not served by public transport, Renua says.