Council to write to Agriculture Minister to ensure farmers are not impacted by new law 

Cork County Council has agreed to write to the Minister for Agriculture and the Minister for Housing and Heritage seeking that the proposed Nature Restoration Law does not compromise the productive farmland nationwide.

The letter to the two ministers will also call for an assessment to quantify the extent of farmland that will be impacted and to evaluate the potential economic and social impact on farm families and rural communities prior to any agreement of the Nature Restoration Law.

The proposed new law would introduce legally binding targets for nature restoration in Ireland to restore damaged ecosystems and bring nature back to a broad range of ecosystems from farmlands and seas to forests and urban environments.

Fianna Fáil councillor Deirdre O’Brien said: “This could have huge consequences and could fundamentally change the shape of farming in many areas. There is fear that lands could be flooded. This needs a lot more investigation into it and the people who are most affected need to be brought into the conversation. The implications of this go far beyond any resolution to the biodiversity.” 

Her party colleague Sheila O’Callaghan who seconded the motion also expressed her reservations. “As a farmer I have great reservations about this going forward. The idea of it being confined to state land is very questionable. 

"I would call for a report to be done and to ensure that the good farmland that is attached to state lands is not affected.” 

Green Party councillor Alan O’Connor however warned that if the regulation doesn’t pass it will have a negative impact on farming. “There is an agreement that action needs to be taken on nature. The situation is dire. There is no time for delay on this,” he added.