Restricting drainage will severely limit land use, reducing both productivity and profitability, according to Irish Cattle and Sheep Association (ICSA) president Seán McNamara.This new restriction comes as some Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) 2 conditions are amended.
Restricting drainage will severely limit land use, reducing both productivity and profitability, according to Irish Cattle and Sheep Association (ICSA) president Seán McNamara.
This new restriction comes as some Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) 2 conditions are amended.
The Department of Agriculture has said that new land drainage and reclamation works are no longer permitted “as a general rule” on around 550,000ha of farmland.
Speaking at ICSA's AGM in Portlaoise on Thursday, McNamara said that the amended GAEC 2 regulations under the CAP strategic plan are a major concern for ICSA members.
"These rules risk leaving vast areas of peatland waterlogged and unproductive, making farming unviable and devastating livelihoods.
"The prospect of land being reclassified and re-wetted without fully considering the impact on active farmers is completely unacceptable," McNamara said.
Up to 35,000 farmers could be docked money from their direct payments if they do not comply with these rules.
This, he added, is yet another example of a well-intended policy that ignores those working on the ground.
ICSA has demanded urgent clarity and is insisting that no farmer should be left worse off by these changes.
Viability
"We are fighting to keep our farms viable, and we are deeply concerned that the next generation will not see a future in farming at all. Regarding survival, let’s be absolutely clear: the survival of family farms is under threat," McNamara said.
Addressing Minister for Agriculture Martin Heydon, McNamara said that farming is at a crossroads.
"Survival, sustainability, and succession are not just abstract policy discussions—they are the lived realities of every farmer in this room. "We are the food producers on the front line, and we need policies that support, not strangle, family farms. We need fair trade, not unfair competition. We need sustainability that works for both the environment and our livelihoods. And we need to ensure the next generation sees a future in farming worth fighting for," he said.
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