A TD has criticised the government’s commitment to progressing the Nature Restoration Law (NRL), after the law’s progress was held up at the last minute in the Council of the EU.
Last week, a meeting of environment ministers failed to carry out a vote on the law, meaning it was not ratified.
The highly controversial law now faces an uncertain future, with no sign – at the moment anyway – of when it will be passed, if indeed it will be passed at all.
Notwithstanding that, the Green Party, including its leader, Minister for Climate, Environment and Communications Eamon Ryan, has made it clear that its support for the NRL is unwavering, claiming that the law is “faltering” due to “a campaign of misinformation from right-wing and populist groups”.
The Green Party said that Ireland would “continue the fight for the Nature Restoration Law”.
Independent Roscommon-Galway TD Michael Fitzmaurice has hit out at the government’s position on the law, claiming that Irish MEPs and ministers are “betraying the nation’s farmers”.
“The fact that our agricultural policies are being influenced to this extent by external forces, rather than focusing on the needs and voices of our own farmers, is unacceptable,” Fitzmaurice commented.
“This approach undermines Ireland’s sovereignty over its agricultural decisions and places undue strain on the farming community.”
The TD called for action to “protect the interests” of Irish farmers, and for policies that are developed with their input.
“Our MEPs and ministers are ready to sacrifice our agricultural sector on the alter of climate action, leaving us dependent on other states’ refusal to accept these outlandish laws in order to protect our agriculture sector,” Fitzmaurice said.
NRL stalled
The vote that didn’t take place last week would – if it had taken place – seen member states ratify the law, which would have been its final ratification before it was formally adopted.
However, several member states shifted their stance at the last minute. The combination of countries that indicated they would vote against the law and countries that indicated they would abstain from voting meant the necessary majority to pass the law would not have been met.
For that reason, plans to hold a vote were scrapped.
Despite no vote taking place, the law nonetheless came up for discussion at last week’s environment ministers meeting under “any other businesses” rather than as a specific agenda item.
A number of speakers at the meeting – including Minister Ryan – expressed frustration that the law has hit this hurdle.
Other member states expressed opposition to the law, with the representative for Hungary saying: “The regulation does not ensure the necessary flexibility for member states for its implementation.”
The Italian representative also expressed misgivings on the law, saying: “The final agreement which emerged…is something which is not satisfactory in our opinion.”