IFA President Welcomes Support from Agriculture Committee on Climate Change Bill

IFA President John Bryan has welcomed the call from the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture for the Climate Change Bill to be put on hold, and said the Government could not ignore the views of the cross-party group.

John Bryan said there was unanimous agreement among farmers and agri-business, and a strategy agreed at Government, regarding the potential of the industry to drive exports and jobs. The Climate Change Bill will damage this potential and cost the economy €4bn in lost export earnings. I am pleased to see that the Agriculture Committee has recognised the dangers of pushing ahead with the Bill.”

Mr Bryan said, “This issue is of national importance and the Government must address the implications for the agri-food sector before the Bill proceeds any further.”

Addressing the Oireachtas Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security this afternoon, Mr Bryan stressed the importance of a proper consultation period before any legislation is considered. “The closing date for submissions is later this month. To begin the debate in the Oireachtas before members have a chance to evaluate the views of everybody affected is the wrong approach and underlines the rushed nature of the legislation.”

IFA is proposing four key principles which must be included as amendments to the legislation to safeguard the 270,000 jobs in the agri-food sector, the national Beef Herd, and the future growth of our largest indigenous industry.