Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has reassured farmers in the GAEC 2 area who have more than 50% of peat in their soil will continue “normal agricultural activity”.
Minister Heydon made the statement in response to a question from Deputy Danny Healy-Rae in the Dáil on Wednesday, who had been in attendance at an Irish Natura and Hill Farmers (INHFA) protest at Agriculture House.
The association is concerned about proposals to rewet peat-type soils and to stop people draining peat-type soils that have not been drained yet or have had only a little drainage.
One of its asks is that mineral-type soils not be included and it says there should not be a compulsory order.
Response
Minister Heydon said that the GAEC 2 proposals will not have negative impacts for farmers.
“Ireland had a derogation in 2022 and 2023 while we put a proposal together. We are the last remaining country in Europe to make a proposal in this space,” he said.
“We would have been in breach since 1 January 2025 if we did not do that this year and I am not willing, as Minister for Agriculture, to subject the State or our CAP funding to potential fines of €100m/year.
“At the heart of the proposal we have put to the Commission and on which we consulted all of the farming bodies, including the INHFA and many others, I accept their points of concern, but I disagree with them, is an approach that will allow farmers in the GAEC 2 area who have more than 50% of peat in their soil to continue their normal agricultural activity, continue to plough, reseed and maintain drains and have new drainage in line with existing national planning legislation.”
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Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon has reassured farmers in the GAEC 2 area who have more than 50% of peat in their soil will continue “normal agricultural activity”.
Minister Heydon made the statement in response to a question from Deputy Danny Healy-Rae in the Dáil on Wednesday, who had been in attendance at an Irish Natura and Hill Farmers (INHFA) protest at Agriculture House.
The association is concerned about proposals to rewet peat-type soils and to stop people draining peat-type soils that have not been drained yet or have had only a little drainage.
One of its asks is that mineral-type soils not be included and it says there should not be a compulsory order.
Response
Minister Heydon said that the GAEC 2 proposals will not have negative impacts for farmers.
“Ireland had a derogation in 2022 and 2023 while we put a proposal together. We are the last remaining country in Europe to make a proposal in this space,” he said.
“We would have been in breach since 1 January 2025 if we did not do that this year and I am not willing, as Minister for Agriculture, to subject the State or our CAP funding to potential fines of €100m/year.
“At the heart of the proposal we have put to the Commission and on which we consulted all of the farming bodies, including the INHFA and many others, I accept their points of concern, but I disagree with them, is an approach that will allow farmers in the GAEC 2 area who have more than 50% of peat in their soil to continue their normal agricultural activity, continue to plough, reseed and maintain drains and have new drainage in line with existing national planning legislation.”
Read more
Barry Cowen on the EU’s budget and ‘alarmism’ about rewetting
Row ramps up over peatlands
Editorial: invest now in farming rather than future fines
Peatlands hit by Dublin train
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