Concerns have been raised that Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications Eamon Ryan may sign Ireland up to agreements or treaties that are tabled during COP27, which begins on Sunday (November 6).
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) was responding to reports that Minister Ryan had requested permission from the wider Cabinet to sign agreements on Ireland’s behalf at the UN climate change conference.
Pat McCormack, ICMSA president, said: “It beggars belief that any individual, even the Taoiseach [Micheál Martin], would assume the powers to enter Ireland into a binding international commitment involving the most profound and enormous consequences without even consulting fellow ministers at Cabinet.”
McCormack said that “no slight” was intended against Minister Ryan, nor was he questioning the minister’s abilities.
However, he added: “It could never be acceptable that any one minister and official assumed to themselves such power or requested it of colleagues.”
McCormack called on Minister Ryan to report back to Cabinet in the event that any agreement is tabled at COP27 in order to allow for proper consideration of the proposal.
“Farmers – and the hundreds of thousands of families whose livelihoods depend on Ireland’s agri-sector – cannot accept a situation where any individual minister could assume the right to sign Ireland up to targets that must involve decommissioning large elements of our economic and social infrastructure,” the ICMSA president commented.
“The vast majority of Irish citizens would be greatly perturbed by the idea that any one minister, irrespective of personal interest or position, might be granted the powers to enter the state into binding international treaties on the basis of their individual judgement or sympathies,” McCormack added.
COP27 will take place Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, from November 6-18.
More than 90 heads of state from around the world and representatives from 190 countries are expected to attend.
The conference has been held annually since the first UN climate agreement in 1992. Its aim is to limit global temperature rises associated with climate change.