FG TD lashes out at colleagues’ support for nature laws

A SECOND senior Fine Gael TD has hit out at his colleagues for backing the EU nature restoration law.

Mayo based TD Michael Ring said he was ‘quite annoyed’ at the decision by the party to vote in favour of the legislation.

‘I am quite annoyed and I think it was a very serious decision to make. I have had a lot of farmers on to me about it.’

He said farmers were ‘already overburdened with regulations’.

‘It’s quite clear that Europe don’t want farmers and they are doing everything in their power to put them out of business,’ Mr Ring said, adding that the party leadership knew his view on the matter.

‘I am disappointed, I can’t understand how the MEPs let this come forward months before an election,’ he added.

Under the plans, at least 25,000 acres of land will have to be ‘rewetted’ by 2030. However, the Government is confident that this and subsequent targets can be achieved on State-owned land by 2040.

EU countries must now put restoration measures in place on at least 30% of drained peatlands by 2030, 40% by 2040, and 50% by 2050 but rewetting is voluntary for farmers and private landowners.

The controversial plans, which have been backed strongly by the Greens and environmentalists, are being opposed by many on the Opposition benches and have given rise to the prospect of a new political party opposed to such changes.

Limerick TD Patrick O’Donovan was the first in Fine Gael to object to the plan.

He told Radio Kerry: ‘If anyone tells me that this is going to come without consequences and it’s just public land, that’s just not true.

‘There isn’t a perch of land in this country owned by the State that doesn’t have within an ass’s roar of it a private one-off house,’ he added.