The Government’s Climate Action Plan has been criticised as a “savage attack” on rural Ireland by independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice, noting that its impact could see a farm’s agricultural contracting bill “could jump by €500 or €600 per year”.
Commenting on the matter, deputy Fitzmaurice said: “The Government’s plan for climate change is an anti-rural, green colander. It is, despite all the packaging, watery and full of holes.
“When it comes to carbon, once again, rural Ireland will be expected to pay the price of urban bliss.”
Describing the plan as “at best, vague”, the rural TD deemed it “a knee-jerk reaction by this Government to the green ‘ripple’ witnessed in the recent elections”.
“It is also worth noting that there is little or no mention of the aviation sector in the plan despite the massive level of emissions it is responsible for.
“Meanwhile, it seems as if this Government is intent on making family farms extinct. This plan is utterly divorced from the realities of rural Ireland.”
Deputy Fitzmaurice asserted that rural Ireland is being targeted by equalising duties on petrol and diesel.
If we look at the impact it will have, a farm’s agricultural contracting bill could jump by €500 or €600 per year. That is before taking into account the additional costs of running the family car.
“Those living in rural Ireland are being unfairly targeted by this plan.
“These people – middle Ireland – have to drive to work, they have to drive their kids to school and go about their day-to-day lives without access to sufficient public transport or the proper infrastructure.”
The TD stressed that, under this plan, such people are immediately at a disadvantage compared to those living in the larger towns and cities.
‘Choices to make’
The Roscommon-Galway TD voiced his view that people in rural Ireland “need to wake up and make their voices heard when a general election is called”.
Continuing, he added: “Rural Ireland is being used as a scapegoat by this Government. This plan would see people living there being hit hardest by the proposals, while still being asked to be the carbon sink for the entire country.
Farmers and the poor will pay, pay, and pay again for climate change. The proposal to increase the carbon tax up to €80/t will only compound this.
“Before the European and local elections, farmers received word on the €100 million Brexit beef fund.
“But it was only after the votes had been cast did we learn that a ‘production reduction’ measure was being pushed by Europe,” the TD said.
“I believe that the implications that this plan will have for farmers will become even more severe as more details emerge. But this fits with the Fine Gael narrative of pushing family farms towards extinction and increasing the acreage of factory farms.
“Independent and Fianna Fáil TDs propping up this Fine Gael led Government will also have to decide whether or not to stand idly by and watch as Fine Gael set rural Ireland up as the sacrificial lamb for the larger, urban centres,” the TD said.