Irish MEPs are failing to stand up to the European Union and push back on the proposed Nature Restoration Law, Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice has claimed.
The Independent Ireland TD made the comments as the European Parliament is set to vote on the controversial directive today (Tuesday, February 27).
The Roscommon-Galway TD believes that if the proposed legislation is passed it will be the “death knell for family farms in Ireland” and “off the back of it, rural Ireland will be forever changed”.
Nature Restoration Law
In a plenary (full) session of the parliament today, MEPS will decide whether to accept an agreed compromise position on the law, which was reached between representatives of the parliament and Council of the EU in the ‘trilogue’ process last November.
If the Nature Restoration Law achieves the required number of votes, it will then proceed to a meeting of the council of environment ministers next month for final ratification.
However, if a majority of MEPs reject the proposed legislation, it will not be possible for the law to be adopted under the EU’s usual legislative procedure without a new legislative proposal being put forward.
The European Peoples Party (EPP), of which Fine Gael is a member, has 177 MEPs has said that it will vote against the proposal.
It is understood that Irish Fine Gael MEPs will defy this position and vote in favour.
Independent MEP for Midlands North West Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan has previously indicated that he will vote against the proposed law which he said is “utterly inadequate”.
MEPs
“There is much advice indicating that this is bad legislation for farmers, from the top of Donegal down to west Cork, and indeed, much of the midlands and the west,” Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice said.
“It is welcome news that one MEP has stated they are voting against it, but let’s be clear on this: over the last few weeks, we’ve heard MEPs discussing EU laws harming small farms in the west and north west.
“We’ve heard of MEPs having meetings regarding food security and other agriculture-related issues.
“However, if Ireland’s MEPs press the button for the Nature Restoration Laws, then there’s no point in discussing these issues, as they will forever be remembered as the group that destroyed farmers on marginal land,” the TD claimed.
“Four months from an EU election, let’s hope they do the right thing for Irish farmers and consign the Nature Restoration Law to the bin where it belongs,” Fitzmaurice added.
Meanwhile, European farming group Copa Cogeca has said that the compromise proposal on the Nature Restoration Law contains “many unrealistic and unbudgeted provisions”.
“Although the European Parliament’s initial position on the subject was nuanced on the agricultural aspect, the rapporteur for the EP (César Luena) completely abandoned his negotiating mandate in the trilogue, returning to a proposal that was completely unrealistic for farmers,” it said.
Copa Cogeca said that today’s vote is an “opportunity to return the proposal to a more concrete and legitimate way forward for restoration”.
“This proposal to amend and bring discussions back to the council and the commission can only be something which can be supported when it is better to do restoration right, with the correct provisions and correct safety nets,” the group said.
Copa Cogeca added that the provisional agreement for the Nature Restoration Law does not adequately funding.
“We must be clear that this law if enforced does not have the relevant financial support to make it viable and successful with or without an assessment.
“No MEP can now say that the text proposed for ratification will not have a major impact on our production, our competitiveness, the EU’s balance of trade, or consumer prices for millions of Europeans.
“We ask for support for our final chance to ensure this law is not unrealistic, but successful,” it said.