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SOCIAL DEMOCRATS LEADER Holly Cairns has accused the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) of “denying reality” in its approach to climate change.
She was responding to a controversy between the IFA and environmental NGO the Irish Wildlife Trust (IWT), which saw a veteran IWT campaign officer resign over a blog post which accused farming organisations of “increasingly lurching to the far right”.
Pádraic Fogarty, a prominent environmentalist who had been involved with the IWT for 20 years, had named the IFA, the Irish Creamery and Milk Suppliers Organisation and the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association as among the groups over which he had concerns.
Fogarty announced his resignation yesterday morning after the IWT edited the blog post to “remove political references that could be perceived to be divisive”.
The article, titled ‘Drift of the farm orgs’ remains on the IWT’s website with a disclaimer that it does not represent the views of the IWT.
The IFA said this evening that it was committed to climate action.
The country’s biggest farming organisation said it had sought a meeting with the board of the IWT to “discuss what appeared in the original blog” last week, prior to the post being edited.
Also speaking on Monday, Cairns said she was disappointed to see Fogarty depart. She claimed the IFA and the government were “walking farmers to a cliff edge” through “intensive” dairy practices.
“It’s the responsibility of governments and of organisations to take responsibility for this and the IFA claim to represent all farmers. In my opinion, they don’t always [represent all farmers] and when they deny climate science, you can imagine somebody in Pádraic’s position to get very frustrated,” she told radio station WLR FM.
“I think that they’re basically denying reality and walking farmers to a cliff edge,” Cairns added.
Fogarty’s departure has had a mixed reaction from politicians. Some said the debate around how best to tackle rising emissions from agriculture had become increasingly “polarising”, while others claimed that the environment movement had become “docile” in its approach to climate.
Jackie Cahill, Fianna Fáil TD and chair of the Oireachtas Agricultural Committee, insisted farm organisations were “not scaremongering” and were reacting to a “very real threat to the farm structure”.
Cahill is a former president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association of dairy farmers.
“We have to accept we have a legally set target to meet but some people who claim to the environmentalists are doing nothing to help us meet that target,” Cahill said.
“A lot of us have been preached at enough now and some of those environmentalists would want to take a look in the mirror.”
Green Party chief whip Marc Ó Cathasaigh, told The Journal that farmers have found themselves in a difficult situation and that the debate had become too tense.
“It’s because they were asked to make huge changes in 2012 when the milk quota were lifted, and they’ve been asked to make huge changes again – but in the other direction this time. So they’re getting mixed messages.”
The Waterford TD said significant investment was made by many in the sector in order for herds to be expanded post-2012, with debt incurred as a result.
“If they’ve taken on substantial debt, well then the question has to be asked how do they pay that back, and if farmers are going to be asked to farm in a different way, then we still have to be clear on what the CAP package is and how that will be structured.”
When asked by The Journal whether he would agree with Fogarty’s contention that farm organisations needed to show greater leadership, the Waterford TD declined to comment.
His party colleague in Cork City Council, Dan Boyle, said Fogarty was “justified” in his stance.
Boyle said that “information is being fed into the public sphere in a dishonest way with alterative facts being presented” against research by bodies such as the Environmental Protection Agency.
“The idea of the idyllic situation, of us working together, finding common cause – I haven’t seen that work.
“As someone involved in green politics for over 30 years, if anything the environmental movement has been very docile,” Boyle said. “We’re seeing constant prevarication and opposition to appropriate action.”
Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore said there’s a “lot of fear” within the farming community which she claimed had not been handled well by the government.
“I don’t think they’re really getting the message out to farmers about what needs to be done to solve the biodiversity and climate crisis,” Whitmore said.
The Wicklow TD said there is a “gap in communication and engagement” with farmers which has created “a vacuum of fear” in the community.
“I think that is being exploited by certain people within the political sphere, with an idea for the next local or general elections, and I think that’s where we’re getting into dangerous territory,” she added.
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Gilmore sold the people of this country out. We all know it. So how is he best qualified. ffs!
another 100k pension sickening,,
Isn’t it great to see Labour fighting hard with FG to get the big job for their man. They don’t fight so hard for their voters or even their ordinary members. What a shower of champagne socialists.
sickening…jobs for the boys…rabbite at it this week aswell…the labour party are an absolute disgrace…i hope they get buried next election
He’s best qualified because they plan to sell us out many times over. Gilmore is a particularly devious little weasel and his willingness to screw his own people would be considered a prized asset in Federal Europe. He can then destroy lives on a much larger scale. Our representatives and media are no longer sane
very well put niall…his stain on the labour party will last a long time…frank cluskey must be turning in his grave
It’s a stain on all Irish politicians. FF, FG and the rest. They are all as bad as each other. The only way to change things is to vote against any member of an established party in the next election. Change the game on them, don’t just vote out Labour, take all of them out.
He is a great liar.
Here’s a mad idea. Couldn’t Gilmore *not* go for the job and let someone fresh in there instead?
Now now Liamo those extra pensions dont collect themselves!!
True enough sir. How ever would he be able to cope without that EU job? It’d be a real struggle I bet.
It’s a fair statement. He’s made millions for the EU at our expense. Let’s hope he stays there and doesn’t come back, the little troll.
Indeed he has he is a liar remember his pre election promise ” it will be Labour’s way and not Frankfurt’s way”, well he may now get his Frankfurt reward for lying to and destroying the Irish people and particularly our young people who will be paying reckless bond holders and failed bankers for the rest of their lives.
Jesus H Christ.
Goes to show the state of affairs in Europe when failed Irish politicians appear to be the best people for the job
I think Costello means Gilmore getting the EU commissioner job means a better chance of his wife getting a job in the EU . Labour for what we’ve seen looks after themselves first, family members second, party hacks third , country comes behind all that.
Goes to show the only reason he fell on his sword, was because this handy number was being lined up
when failed Irish politicians appear to be the best people for the job”
how have they failed – they have done what they are told – and done it brilliantly – with hardly a word of dissent from the servile Irish – Go Gilmore – u are a liar supreme – affine politician .
Juncker is a failed Luxembourg politician. Himself and Gilmore can have cognac with their cornflakes
I agree. He is an assh@le. That’s all the credentials he needs.
Who do we want to see the back of more: Hogan or Gilmore? That’s a tough one.
Maybe jobshare?
Gilmore lied and done a bad job in Ireland and will get the boot- and instead of going home with his tail between his legs he is getting promoted to Europe -( it’s a wonder I still get surprised when reading about that Coalition )-
I met a beef farmer and he told me to eat beef.
I met a sheep farmer and he told me to eat sheep.
I met a grain farmer and he told me to eat grain.
If I meet Joe Costello I expect him to support Labour.
His opinion is as valid as his party’s poll result or election results … in education terms a score of between 4 and 7 % means he shouldn’t really be giving opinions on the future direction of medicine……
Unless of course he is some sort of miracle….
Those who think Joe Costello and his opinions are touched by the Divine feel free to red-thumb this comment, for all others there is a General Election coming up ; It’s time to start preparing a new team for the second half of Eire’s bid to “take it’s place among the Nations of the earth!” …
For a split second there – I thought that Tinie Tempah was posting !
My “temper” is not Tiny … wrath is perhaps a better word !
Lovely day Why !
hey why;
caption for above…
“and then I got the 500th apple and munch; another bite to fill my bottomless pit !”
Cant we hold a referendum on the EU similar to the one the UK will do in 2018??
of course we can ; we can do it anytime after the next election …perhaps abetter way to go would be to hold a meeting of minds from citizen group from the “PIIGS” countries and establish an alternative parliament in Ireland for Europe …like we did in 1918 !
The US already stated that it’s not in their interest for anyone to leave the EU. So all that guff from the Brits about leaving the EU is just that, guff. And they say we lost our sovereignty. The Brits can’t say boo without checking in first with the White House. So don’t hold your breath on waiting for them to leave the EU.
@ John Deegan …. I wouldn’t be too sure on that analogy …. There is a real movement in America against some if these brain damaged narcissists in ye White House, and some real signs that people are not swallowing the dollops of crap they used to … Did u know that CNNs ratings plummeted by 46% in 2013….. Despite the billions spent on spin …. Putin as bad as he may be … Appears to be the only statesman in their sphere ..even creeps like the Koch. Brothers are changing tact and are not funding some of their. crazy eugenics and liberal programmes ….. Watch the situation unfolding ……..:):)
Gary totally agreed. I was aware if the falling ratings. And yes if things change in the US and critical mass of zombies snap out if it then all bets are off.
It just shows how useless Europe really is, when the best people to work there are failed politicians
”Eamon Gilmore has been tipped to head to Europe, but so has the Minister for Environment Phil Hogan.”
– And fools think these people are ” losers—— just wait until election time etc etc .
These people have it made – most all of them – they will have fine pensions — some of them will have multiple pensions – will be made directors of companies for services rendered – write their memoirs – appear on chat shows – or host their own – and go lecture tours on how to run /ruin a country .
To the Troika – these asslickers are heroes – and will be well rewarded- while many of Irish public – well its Austerity ad infinitum . That’s the price for being obedient serfs .
And they wonder why European institutions are disliked, make poor decisions and are distrusted… When governments use is as a dumping ground pension home for washed up failed politicians with failed policies to stay so they can keep their noses in the trough.. what other outcome could anyone but an idiot expect?
Let Gimmemore off to Europe. And let Ming be a permanent thorn in his side.
The Irish people don’t want him representing him in Ireland why would they want him in Europe
What about your missus Joe?
I think Eamonn would be a great lad to have in our corner. After all he’s sure showed them Europeans a thing or two since he’s been Tanaiste. “Labours way or Frankfurts way”. His new slogan could be “Eamonns way or the highway!”. That’ll show em.
Labour let itself become a vehicle for sticky gunmen, forgers and their hanger ons. They came to control it at every level of the party.
They had no interest in Labour but had decided they might as well have power if they couldn’t have a revolution. The party was used up and will die around the same time they retire.
Gilmore, Junker and Hogan, the EU is goosed.
Europe owes us big time! One massive pension coming up.
The ‘hello money’ for an EU Commissioner is €40k, payable on arrival. Why is a former politician the only category tenable? What about spreading the net beyond politicians and their relatives?
Europe – the failed politicians graveyard
Could we pick a ‘rising’ star? For once…
Oh – and never a days work in the private sector. Public payroll most of his adult life. What does he really know about life like you and I live it. Like getting marital advice from a priest!
Don’t worry all. Gilmore is very unlikely to be going to Europe. FG are not going to want to give Labour the Commissioner post. This is just Labour posturing ahead of the reshuffle in the hope it’ll secure them more of what they want – likely to be Joan Burton in Finance or Public Expenditure and Alan Kelly in Jobs.
Gilmore should resign from politics!
He is anti-Christian, anti-faith and supports Russia’s objectives!
He should not be in any Government!
He us a traitor to mother Ireland!
I support the Church’s right to pay taxes.
Give me Gilmore before that bellend Higan in Europe anyday.
Hogan
Go, go, go!!!
Costello like the rest of the failed Labour Party have no credibility ….. Of Gilmore gets such a cosy post …. It will add fuel to the euro sceptics ….. This guy Gilmore was at the helm when Irish people aborted labour for being useless ,Conniving self and EU serving puppets that had and have no consideration for the people they claim to represent ………
is he still rambling?
Is this a joke, what,s the punch line?
Is this a joke? Please tell me this is a joke. Phil-fu**ing-Hogan and Eamon Gilmore? There are no better alternatives?
Two words – GOOD ONE!
Only this Government, a government with no sense of history or tradition, would reduce Ireland’s Commissionership to an unseemly public squabble between two failed Government ministers.
So the sellouts are getting their thirty pieces of silver for betraying their own.
A proud day for Labour and Fine Gael I am sure.
For God’s sake, do you not think the man’s ego’s big enough.sending him to Europe in his eyes would confirm to him that he is in fact the greatest. The Chuck Norris of Ireland. The man’s so deluded it’s breathtaking. If he’s so brilliant why is Labour so crap at the polls.
Can see it all, smiling in the lifeboat and waving to his friends still trapped on the Titanic as she flounders.
Gilmore is over qualified as a politician for Europe. He has exactly the same values as the guys I. The EU —- to hell with Ireland and their debt. Gilmore is even more ruthless — to hell with everybody in any country, just bleed them for all they have have.
Enda will be next. We always export out failures to Europe. Eg aiden mcgeedy
Gilmore sold Labour down the same gutter as the the Greens/PDs. Costello must be drunk!
joe costello your so full of what makes the grass greener you probally do think that eamon gilmore is a runner for europe but i hope your opinion carries no weight because gillmore is the last man to be considered for such a top job..i cant wait for joan to get rid of you all because you really let the irish labour voters down when you had the chance to do some good.big shame on you all.
joe costello ,eamon gilmore and pat rabbitt are the three worst labour polititions ever to serve on a labour goverment.now before they are about to ge the booth by joan burton they are trying to cause as much trouble as they can by nomanating posititons for others and putting cronies in cushy jobs
Jesus … F*uck.. !!!
Whats a Higen?
Or a Hagen even
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