Greens under fire for vows to ban non-EU live exports and cut ANC

The Green Party general election manifesto's vows of pushing to ban live exports to non-EU countries and reducing area of natural constraint (ANC) funding to boost organics funding have received criticism from other parties’ farming candidates.

The Green’s agriculture spokesperson Pippa Hackett, who is an outgoing Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture, stuck up for these policy pledges when speaking at the Irish Farmers Journal’s live general election debate.

Hackett claimed that “many farmers are against live exports too” and “have a problem” with the practice.

She said there are “social impacts, environmental impacts and there is social license that we must never take for granted”.

Going into the last government where Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, parties which did not heed the Green Party’s objective of banning non-EU live exports from Ireland, was a “difficult decision” for the Greens, Hackett maintained.

Live exports defended

Fine Gael’s Martin Heydon stated that live exports act as an “absolutely critical release valve” for the cattle trade and beef prices.

“To talk about a ban in that space and a phasing out of the nitrates derogation is not something Fine Gael could live with because we are putting huge investment into sexed semen and reducing our dependency on live exports, but it is a critical part of what we do here in this farming model.”

Fianna Fáil’s Charlie McConalogue commented that the continuation of live exports is a “key objective and an absolute priority for us”.

The outgoing agriculture minister did not state outright whether his party would consider reforming a coalition with the Greens when pushed, but said that Fianna Fáil will only co-operate post-election with parties seeking to support farmers.

In outlining Independent Ireland’s demands for entering a government after its first general election, Clare’s Eddie Punch added that it will be whatever parties will support simple schemes “that put more money in farmers’ pockets”.

“The only way people can make sure that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael don’t go into government with the Green Party is if they elect Independent Ireland candidates like Eddie Punch."

Sinn Féin’s Martin Kenny took aim at the suggestion that ANC funding should be cut and said instead that the scheme’s funding should be increased, particularly in the west and northwest.

“Live exports are vital for that bit of competition in the trade,” he also said on the Green Party’s other manifesto pledge.

“But there is a difference between live exports and cruel exports. I think we need to have high standards and all farmers want that.

"Live exports sometimes are not [up to standard] and that is because countries inside and outside of Europe sometimes don’t have the right standards."

Kenny insists that Sinn Féin is willing to sit down with all parties after votes are counted in discussions to form the next government.

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Watch back: general election debate with the farming candidates