TDs have “turned their backs on rural Ireland and on family farms” by voting through the Climate Action Bill, the Rural Independent Group has claimed.
The group released a highly critical reaction to the vote last night (Wednesday, June 16) – which saw the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Bill 2021 passed with 129 votes in favour, and 10 votes against.
Claiming that “rural residents, family farms and the poor are thrown under the bus”, the group added:
“The government’s ludicrous approach to climate action was laid bare in the Dáil tonight as legislation was rammed through, without proper scrutiny, devoid of changes and refusal to take on board any of the concerns of rural residents and farmers, according the Rural Independent Group of TDs.”
Speaking after the debate from Leinster House, the leader of the Rural Independent Group, deputy Mattie Mc Grath said:
“It is truly shocking that rural backbench Fianna Fail and Fine Gael TDs, with the support of Sein Fein, Labour, the Social Democrats, Solidarity, and members from the regional independent group, would vote through a drastic and deeply damaging Climate Action Bill, and not allow even one opposition amendment to be properly considered or accepted.
“Those backbench TDs have turned their backs on their constituents, on rural Ireland and on family farms.
“Their actions mean a vote for increased costs on all consumer goods, much more expensive electric bills, culling the cow herd, ending turf cutting and the end of rural one-off housing.”
Deputy McGrath raised deep concerns over “no just transition, protections for agriculture or jobs, and a ‘bottom-up’ people-centred process” surrounding this legislation.
Highlighting that a number of amendments had been tabled by the Rural Independent TDs, which did not get backing, the Tipperary TD claimed:
“Rural people now face the ending of rural one-off housing and of traditional turf cutting under this legislation, despite Ireland having a major housing crisis and becoming increasingly dependent on peat briquettes being imported from eastern Europe.
“The dire consequences mean a complete sell-out by the government of the domestic economy, rural communities and the public.
“The implications will hammer every single citizen from now to 2050 and beyond,” deputy McGrath concluded.