Sir, – I refer to the comments of Chambers Ireland head of policy Shane Conneely in relation to agricultural emissions (“Farmers say ‘impossible’ emission reduction targets will devastate sector”, News, July 28th).
Mr Connelly states that the Government has “blinked” and in an obscure statement in relation to agriculture states that “even in regional areas its job creation effect is marginal”.
The agri-sector in 2020 employed 163,600 people or 7.1 per cent of total employment in 2020. Some 137,500 farms are producing over €8.2 billion in output. I am perplexed to interpret how such an impact is marginal.
Not only is this of economic value but more importantly Ireland has had food security, particularly important in a time of war.
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I ask is this dismissive attitude and official statement consistent with members of Chambers Ireland such as global leaders like Dairygold, Kerry Group, Glanbia and Carbery?
Farmers who have been farming sustainably and growing in line with national policy are being demonised, just as builders and developers were after the economic crash. We need to reflect on the effect of that demonisation of developers and builders. The consequence is that we are lacking builders and developers today, contributing to an inability to deliver supply in a housing crisis.
It’s time to reflect on the very negative urban-led commentary towards our world-class farmers before we lose a generation of farmers.
If we lose such farmers there may not be such good food security or such a plentiful supply of world-class Irish produce on the shopping shelves of Foxrock, Ranelagh, Clontarf, Dalkey or Dundrum. – Yours, etc,
RICHARD WHELAN,
Schull,
Co Cork.
Sir, – The national herd is a sacred cow. A person’s worth is measured in the number of cattle he or she has. If you try to remove a cow from a farm, you better be prepared to go to war over it. We are back in the days of Táin Bó Cuailnge! – Yours, etc,
CHRIS FITZPATRICK,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – I think it’s about time the IFA and the ICMSA came up with their own proposals to achieve the proposed cuts in their sectors. So far we haven’t heard a positive word from them as to how emissions can be cut.
Instead it’s negativity in all their utterances on any proposals being made based on scientific proof that farming practices have to change in Ireland, along with all other sectors being asked to do the same. – Yours, etc,
KEVIN BYRNE,
Bantry,
Co Cork.
A chara, – The timing of the Government announcement on targets for reduction in greenhouse gas emissions is ironic. July 28th was Earth Overshoot Day, the day that the world uses up all its biological resources that the Earth regenerates during the entire year 2022. Should we introduce a target reduction in corporate marketing spend to stop us buying stuff that we feel we want but don’t really need? – Is mise,
DERMOT O’ROURKE,
Lucan,
Co Dublin.