The proposed Nature Restoration Law has the “potential to revitalize and invigorate rural Ireland,” Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Pippa Hackett stated this evening (Monday, June 26).
The minister also said “restoring nature should not be controversial” and was critical of what she described as the debate on recent weeks on the proposed law which, she said, had focused “solely on unfounded concerns on its effects on agriculture”.
Addressing the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) in Dublin this evening on the impact of the proposed Nature Restoration Law – ahead of a critical vote tomorrow (Tuesday, June 27 ) by the European Parliament’s Committee on Environment – Minister Hackett stressed the “potential benefits” of the law.
“We must move beyond the perception that the concept of nature restoration is a threat to farming or rural life,” she said.
“We need our politicians from all parties to engage on this law, sit around the table, make their views known, bring their influence to bear on help shape a law that works for all of us.
“Now is the time to embrace the incredible opportunities it presents. What no politician should do now is vote this down and walk away from the debate,” she urged.
But Minister Hackett acknowledged that the proposed Nature Restoration Law “had divided political parties both here in Ireland and in the European political sphere”.
“Those who are blindly opposed to this law, are not interested in solutions. They are the ones who see nothing wrong with our current way of life, our current consumption model.
“If we chain ourselves to preserving our current way of life all the time, we limit progress and stifle any sense that there is a better way,” she stated.
The minister said there had been “a lot of conjecture and indeed legitimate questioning” focusing on farmland and the potential impact the law could have on the viability and livelihood of Irish farmers.
At the IIEA event Minister Hackett also referenced heated exchanges which had occurred between her and the TD for Cork South-West, Michael Collins during a Dáil debate on the Nature Restoration Law last month.
Minister Hackett said Deputy Collins had an “outlandish and hysterical response” when she referred to him as an organic farmer.
The TD for Cork South-West told the Dáil that he was not an organic farmer.
The minister told the audience this evening that opposition to the proposed law was based on “conjecture and pure politics of fear”.
Nature Restoration Law
According to Minister Hackett, the “text the council has agreed” on in relation to the proposed Nature Restoration Law will provide flexibility to the government on how it would implement “measures to restore nature”.
She also reiterated the government’s stated position that compulsory purchase orders will not be used in the context of nature restoration.
Minister Hackett said: “Farmers in Ireland are already paving the way for a greener, more sustainable Ireland, where agricultural practices harmonise with nature.
“A huge amount of the debate has centred on rewetting agricultural land. Rewetting is only one aspect of the Nature Restoration Law.
“In the medium term, we in Ireland have the capacity to meet rewetting targets within state-owned lands. These are the lands of Bord na Móna and Coillte, and other parcels in the ownership of the state. That is where the focus will be, and that is where the targets will be met.”
She said any farmers who wanted “to play their role in restoring wetland nature” would be supported by the government.
“Any scheme for farmers to engage in nature restoration, such as rewetting, will be entirely voluntary.
“We respect the autonomy of our farmers and acknowledge that they are best positioned to make decisions that suit their individual circumstances,” Minister Hackett said.
Fears
During the IIEA event however there were farmers who highlighted to the minister that previously they had been supported by the government to “reclaim” thousands of hectares and that there were genuine “fears” about what the proposed Nature Restoration could mean for them.
MInister Hackett acknowledged that there was “concern” among farming communities and that land had been reclaimed to “enable food production”.
But she believes questions must now be asked around “what is productive farming?”.
MInister Hackett said: “It’s very much at the moment focused on food and that’s it – it’s far bigger than that, it’s going to be a far bigger delivery of those services to the state and services to community and society.
“That’s a bit of a mindset change and while food production is absolutely essential to what we do there are other essential things too and we will be relying on farmers to maybe change how they manage to serve society.
“What does society want from our land?” she asked.