Views and opinions from farmers on Bord na Móna’s bog rewetting programme are being sought for an online farmer meeting tonight (Tuesday, February 16) organised by the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA).
Brian Rushe, the association’s deputy president, is calling on farmers to join the meeting – via Microsoft Teams – at 8:00pm tonight to share their views on peatland rehabilitation projects in the midlands.
The Bord na Móna peatland plan is aimed at restoring 33,000ha of peatland in over 80 bogs owned by the company.
“IFA has made it clear that farmers must be kept fully informed regarding this programme. Farmers have concerns about potential adverse impacts to their farmland during or following the rehabilitation process,” Rushe said in advance of this evening’s meeting.
“Farmers have had little input in the planning of the rehabilitation of peatlands to date. Our meeting [tonight] is an opportunity for people to share their views and voice concerns they have,” the IFA deputy president added.
Anyone interested in attending the meeting can register to do so through the IFA website.
Several farm organisations, as well as notable politicians, have raised concerns over Bord na Móna’s plans, and calls for farmers to be properly consulted on the rewetting project have been persistent.
These concerns revolve around the possibility that farmland adjacent to bogs will be impacted through the rewetting, particularly through possible flooding.