An Irish MEP has called on the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to revise its approach to the Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition 2 (GAEC 2).

GAEC 2 is the conditionality standard of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) related to the protection of peatlands and wetlands.

Last week, the department launched an appeals process for farmers seeking to have their land removed from the standard.

However, farm organisations voiced concerns about several conditions attached to the appeals process.

Midlands North-West MEP Ciaran Mullooly has also called on DAFM to "immediately clarify and withdraw unnecessary conditions it is imposing on landowners seeking to appeal the classification of their land under GAEC 2".

He criticised the department’s requirement that landowners applying for an appeal may have to provide:

A signed declaration from the appellant that the parcel(s) in question has/have never been drained and he/she plans to carry out drainage works in 2025 as required;
Evidence to show that the appellant plans to carry out drainage work in 2025 e.g. contractor quotations, estimate of costs etc as required.

“This demand completely misunderstands the purpose of the appeals process,” Mullooly said.

“Farmers are appealing the peat soil designation because they believe it is scientifically incorrect - not because of what they plan to do with the land next year.

“The decision on whether land is peat soil or not must be based on soil science - not hypothetical future land use or drainage plans. To suggest otherwise is to undermine the integrity of the entire process," he said.

The Midlands-North-West MEP said that the department risks "confusing and intimidating landowners".

“Once again, we see bureaucracy being used in a way that frustrates rather than facilitates access to a fair and transparent appeals process.

"Farmers are entitled to have incorrect classifications overturned. That entitlement must not be made contingent on signing unnecessary undertakings or presenting irrelevant contractor paperwork," he said.

The MEP is calling for the department to "immediately review and revise its approach to GAEC 2 peat soil appeals and ensure the process remains grounded in science, fairness, and farmers’ rights".

The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) previously said that the department has made amendments to the appeals process.

In an update to the appeal document, DAFM outlined that the documents which have caused concern are not required where no drainage works are planned on previously undrained/drained GAEC 2 land parcel(s) in 2025.

Following the amendments, IFA Rural Development Committee chair John Curran said that it is "now clear that all farmers have the opportunity to appeal the indicative GAEC 2 status of individual parcels".

“The clarification also makes the need for signed declarations/proof of drainage works obsolete.

"These requirements should be removed from appeal application requirements," he added.