THERE HAS been an unfortunate tendency by successive governments to ignore EU environmental directives and delay proper planning and development procedures until the threat of tough financial sanctions forces compliance. The State is being taken down that demeaning road once again by the EU Commission. The latest episode involves failure to implement a farming environment directive designed to protect natural and man-made heritage. Fines of €3.2 million are being threatened and the figure could be much higher.
This is not a new problem. The complaint that gave rise to the original European Court of Justice decision was lodged ten years ago. When no remedial action was taken, the European Commission initiated a formal court prosecution in 2006. Government legislation requiring environment impact assessments only for projects in excess of 100 hectares was found to be in breach of the directive. Wetlands and archaeological sites were being destroyed. Nothing was done. Last March, the EU Commission wrote to the Government concerning its responsibilities. The response was so inadequate that a second prosecution has now been initiated at the European Court.
The Department of Agriculture has a long history of foot-dragging and obstruction when it comes to environmental protection and forcing farmers to take expensive, remedial action. The Department of the Environment introduced the nitrates directive and the water framework directive, which seek to minimise farm pollution and protect water quality. This caused tension with the Department of Agriculture and with farmers. In spite of official and political procrastination, however, significant progress has been made in cleaning up the environment during recent decades. Farmers have played their part but much remains to be done.
Farmers are a powerful pressure group and defend their interests with vigour, particularly at election time. Their demands on this occasion revolve mainly around Government subsidies and grants and for reassurance that agricultural land and buildings will be exempted from property tax. However, they also suggest that growth in farm output should take precedence over protection of the environment and that the nitrates and water framework directives should be modified. That would place us on a collision course with the EU Commission. There are alternatives. Intensive farming, higher incomes and job creation in the agri-food sector should not automatically mean more pollution.