Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue has said that rewetting targets under the Nature Restoration Law could be “entirely met from state-owned land”, according to media reports.
Based on “significant progress” in relation to the proposed law at EU Council level, the minister said that “flexibility” which will reflect the Irish situation has been “secured”.
This would mean that in terms of 2030, 2040 and 2050 rewetting targets, Ireland would have a “capacity” in relation to state-owned land to be able to deliver on those targets, Minister McConalogue said on RTÉ Radio One today (Sunday, May 21).
“The targets could be met entirely from state-owned land but obviously that would have to be agreed now fully at European level, and then we will engage with farmers and indeed whether with Bord na Móna or Coillte in relation to meeting those targets,” he said.
Should this be secured at full European level (the European Parliament is yet to vote), the minister said it would provide “reassurance” to farmers that there would be no requirement on them to mandatorily rewet their land.
Nature Restoration Law
However, targets under the Nature Restoration Law are still being discussed, the minister said, and the government’s key objective is to make sure that the targets that are agreed fully reflect Ireland’s national needs.
“I have been working closely with government colleagues and at European level to ensure that the outcome will take into account the situation in Ireland, particularly in relation to peat-based agricultural soils,” the minister said.
Land adjacent to rewetted sites will be “fully considered in relation to every proposal to rewet whether, let’s say a farmer decides to [rewet] voluntarily and be paid for it or whether it is Bord na Móna or Coillte for example that are rewetting a part of land”, he said.
The government is “fully committed that in relation to the final outcome at European level there will be no requirement on farmers to actually do this [rewet part of their lands]”.
“Farmers will be given the option to contribute to that should they wish,” he said.
Rewetting
In an interview with Agriland during the Bord Bia trade mission to Shanghai, China, Minister McConalogue said that he is determined to ensure that any outcome or any ask of farmers under the EU’s Nature Restoration Law will “only be voluntary”.
The minister’s comments have been met with criticism by the president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA), Pat McCormack who said that as it is published, there is “nothing voluntary” about the law.
McCormack said that Minister McConalogue is making an already confused situation even more “muddled and obscure”.
Farmers, particularly in the midlands, have expressed their concerns about the rewetting of lands adjacent to their farm which could result in flooding.