There are further warnings that a government bill on deforestation could "open the door" to restrictions on Irish farmers.

The government recently published the general scheme of the Deforestation and Forest Degradation Bill 2026.

This bill would give effect to the EU Deforestation Regulation, which is due to come into effect at the end of the year.

However, a number of concerns have been raised over how the bill would impact Irish farmers.

The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association (ICMSA) has called for the government and Oireachtas members to ensure that provisions in the bill that could potentially extend its scope beyond forests are removed before the legislation progresses.

Eamon Carroll said that Irish farmers "fully support efforts to tackle global deforestation".

However, he said it would be "entirely unacceptable" if legislation designed to address tropical deforestation on other continents was used as a basis for imposing further new restrictions on Irish grassland farming.

"The EU Deforestation Regulation was introduced to address the destruction of forests in parts of South America, Asia and Africa and was never intended to place additional restrictions on Irish family farms operating on a permanent grassland systems," Carroll said.

He said that the ICMSA is particularly concerned by provisions in the draft scheme of the bill which "appear to provide for the future extension of controls beyond forests and woodland to other categories through ministerial regulation".

"Farmers are rightly asking the question: If this legislation is about deforestation, why are provisions being included that could facilitate future controls on grassland and other agricultural land?," Carroll remarked.

He claimed that such powers could create significant uncertainty for farmers regarding normal agricultural activities, including land improvement works, re-seeding, drainage, farm development, and changes in land use.

"Irish agriculture bears no resemblance to the scenario or circumstances that have led to the introduction of the EU Deforestation Regulation. Our farming model is overwhelmingly based on managed grassland," the ICMSA deputy president said.

"Farmers are not clearing rainforests. They are producing high-quality food under some of the highest environmental and animal welfare standards in the world," he added.

Carroll called on all TDs and senators to seek amendments that will explicitly exclude agricultural grassland from any future extension of the legislation.

"We need legal certainty that this legislation will remain focused on its stated objective of preventing global deforestation and forest degradation. It should not become a vehicle for introducing future restrictions on grassland farming," he said.