Pheilim Molloy – INHFA President
Since Ireland joined the European Economic Community (EEC) in January 1973, there is no doubt the country has progressed, and there is also little doubt that the EEC, or now the European Union (EU) has played a major part in this development.
However, while this progress has been nothing but extraordinary, there is a growing concern that we may have reached the limits of this progress and could be heading into more difficult and uncertain times.
At the centre of this concern is the expansionist ambitions of Vladimir Putin and the threat to European security, which has already seen increased military spending that no doubt will continue.
While the threat from Putin is an external one that Europe doesn’t have control over, and one that we must look to manage, there is an internal threat that we can get control over – but we first need to recognise. That threat is a runaway bureaucracy driven by the European Commission and facilitated by the other two EU institutions, namely the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers.
When assessing the role of the EU Commission we need to first understand how policy is decided, whether that be in Brussels or in Dublin. In an Irish context if new legislation is being developed there is an assumption that the most influential person is the Minister. However, this is debatable and while the Minister definitely has influence – the most influential person or persons are those that sit down to write the first draft, because that first draft becomes the basis for future discussion. And in assessing any legislation passed you will find that at least 80% of what was in the first draft will be present in the final bill.
In an Irish context this is not ideal but at least those writing the first draft are resident in Ireland and we would hope to be closer in thinking to what the people want. Unfortunately, this is not the case in Brussels and with over 80% of laws passed in Ireland originating in Brussels then you can see how this is a major problem.
For Irish farmers and our rural communities, we have seen legislation developed in Brussels and imposed into Irish law that is regressive with an obvious example being the Habitats Directives.
These directives as applied through the Natura 2000 lands designations – special area of conservation (SAC) and special protected areas (SPAs) have in an Irish context failed at every level but it seems we can’t repeal or even amend them. For farmers and landowners these laws have drastically undermined their income potential with many afraid to do anything for fear of penalties applied by Irish enforcers.
For those operating on these lands, there is now a sense that we have replaced English landlords with a new landlord in Brussels and replaced the landlord’s agents with an Irish enforcer through the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
When you assess how ineffective and intrusive the Nature Directive are both in Ireland and across the EU you would imagine that lessons would be learnt but it seems that the EU Commission are not good at reflection. The Nature Restoration Law was drafted by the EU Commission and published in the summer of 2022 detailing plans to protect and restore EU Habitats across 20% of each Member State.
Two years later the law was passed amid a lot of controversy and we are now in the process of developing a National Restoration Plan. When you assess the original law and compare it to what was passed in June of 2024 the changes are minimal despite what some MEPs might say.
This law, when applied will drastically influence what will happen both in terms of land use and the wider rural areas but I’m not convinced it will deliver on its environmental ambition. I say this, because many of the proponents of this plan, both in Brussels and in Ireland don’t want farming and definitely not farming in these areas and if this is the policy pursued then the plan will fail.
The habitats we are looking to protect are managed habitats dependent on farming activity. This is why the best means of managing and improving these habitats is by supporting our farmers with clear advice and informed research. This advice and research needs to also recognise the financial needs of the farmer and possible constraints. It must also ensure that farmers are at the centre of all decisions and not where they are now – bystanders and scapegoats in a system that has failed them and the environment.
Currently the INHFA are actively engaging to ensure that farmers and our rural communities are protected as Ireland develops a national restoration plan. However, this plan will have to be signed off on by the European Commission and if they are not satisfied then changes may be required. This brings me back to my original concern around EU over-reach and the widening democratic deficit across our European Institutions that sooner or later will have to be addressed.