The Dáil will debate a motion from the Rural Independents group of TDs next week which opposes “culling of the national herd”.
The debate will take place on Wednesday, June 28, in which the group will highlight concerns regarding the government’s plans “to reduce emissions in agriculture by culling the national dairy herd”.
According to one member of the group, Mattie McGrath, the motion addresses the government’s plans “which are perceived to endanger the viability of farms and potentially lead to the closure of otherwise sustainable agricultural enterprises”.
The motion refers to tentative plans by government to develop a scheme for dairy farmers to exit the sector, which is being referred to as a “cull” scheme by some stakeholders and politicians.
McGrath said: “Our motion recognises Ireland’s proud tradition of clean and green grassland agricultural production, with farms often managed by the same families for generations.
“Furthermore, the motion highlights the conflicting messaging from successive governments over the past decade, which initially promoted the expansion of the Irish dairy herd but now advocates for the culling of the national cow population,” he added.
He claimed that this constituted a change in government policy, and that it is “disingenuous, misleading, and unfair to farmers and rural communities dependent on agriculture for their livelihoods”.
“The government’s push to reduce the national herd…despite farmers accumulating high levels of debt to ramp up production, represents a glaring betrayal of Irish agriculture. It prioritises meeting climate change targets that will do little or nothing to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions.”
“The motion also points out that the government’s target of cutting agricultural emissions by 25% by 2030 is deemed overly burdensome and unachievable, potentially leading to financial unviability or bankruptcy for many farms,” McGrath said.
The Rural Independent’s motion will also call on the government to undertake an independent comprehensive financial impact assessment of reducing the national dairy herd to understand the implications for farmers and the rural economy.
“It also demands that the government halt any discussions or considerations of a dairy or beef sector cull until the assessment is completed and discussed with all impacted farmers whose livelihoods would be affected,” McGrath said.
The Tipperary TD called on all TDs representing rural constituencies to support the motion in the Dáil and “stand in solidarity” with Irish farm families and rural communities.
“We call on all TDs to support this motion and demonstrate their commitment to the welfare of Irish farmers and the sustainability of rural communities,” he said.
“TDs cannot say one thing in the constituency and then remain silent in Dublin to allow the government proceed with a cow cull agenda,” McGrath added.