INHFA protesters demand meeting with Heydon over GAEC 2 concerns
An Irish Natura and Hill Farmers’ Association (INHFA) protest brought farmers from all over the country today (Tuesday, March 4) to the Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine's (DAFM) headquarters to highlight their concerns about Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC 2).
INHFA members voiced their frustrations and concerns about what the inclusion of mineral soils under GAEC 2 could mean for the future of their family farms on the doorstep of DAFM's HQ in the heart of Dublin.
Speaking at the protest today, the INHFA's livestock chair, Brendan Joyce told Agriland that the INHFA wants an "urgent meeting" with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon on GAEC 2.
Joyce said: "If you want to build any extension to a shed or a building in the future, that’s subject now to planning permission.
"GAEC 2 was brought in to deal with peatlands and wetlands, it was not brought in to deal with mineral soils.
"That’s why you’ve people here from every corner of the country representing their branches today.
According to the Independent Ireland TD, Michael Fitzmaurice, farmers "don’t realise the consequences of what’s going on in this country at the moment" and underlined that he has been voicing concerns about GAEC 2 implications for a number of years.
"It's not our fault where we’re born. What’s going to happen now, if you’ve real good land, you’re under no terms and conditions, but if you come from a peaty type land, you would be under terms and conditions now.
"Going forward, that could have a detrimental impact on your single farm payment," he warned.
He added: "I have looked at ground where maps have been put in under GAEC as a peaty area, and there’s no more peat, than I’d win the Olympics. These maps are way out of order.
"Farmers need to educate themselves on what’s going on because they don’t understand the consequences of this down the road".
Meanwhile in an address to the protesting farmers gathered outside DAFM the INHFA chair, Colm O'Donnell, urged Minister Heydon to meet with the INHFA in relation to what it has identified as GAEC 2 issues.
"I listened to the minister’s first interview the day after he was elected, he described himself as a social butterfly. I would say put on them wings minister and fly down here, and sort this mess out now."
“I believe that the minister is being left in charge of the house [on St. Patrick's Day] while the rest of the cabinet is going off doing very important business all over the world.
"Just to remind you minister, this is not your house, this is our house. Don’t forget you’re a lodger here," he said.
He also left the protest today with a promise, warning that, if the minister does not meet with the INHFA its members will "be back here, and back in bigger numbers".
