Sir, – The symbiotic relationship between the Government and farming is revealed in the excellent investigative article by by Cormac McQuinn and Killian Woods (“The Oireachtas farmers: who are the largest landowners in Leinster House?”, Investigation, September 15th). It reveals the Dáil is top heavy with farmers, with 15 per cent of the total having significant interests in the sector. It is unequivocal that this mutualism is influencing Government policy and the result is more cows, polluted rivers and lakes, food insecurity and a huge carbon footprint (accounting for 38 per cent of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions). So much for the Paris Agreement 2030.
A spokesman for Martin Heydon said there could be no conflict of interest between being a farmer and minister for agriculture, citing the example of a teacher being a minister for education. It is a hard to believe that eyebrows would not be raised, however, if a minister for education was running a grind school on the side.
I believe we should follow the lead of the Danes and abolish the minister for agriculture and instead appoint a minister for nature and animal welfare, someone who would advocate for animals and the environment, and the benefits would be felt by all of us. – Yours, etc,
JOAN BURGESS,
RM Block
Annmount,
Cork.
Sir, – I think most farmers would agree there is no conflict of interest between Martin Heydon, the Minister for Agriculture, receiving Cap payments and being part of the negotiations for the EU budget 2028-2034. He will receive future Cap payments according to a clear, transparent and formulated system along with 120,000 other farmers in Ireland.
However, I think most farmers would welcome the Minister delivering more support to the sector, given national and international issues of the last year.
His response to a drought in half the country this summer has been to promote a national fodder survey and a promise of earlier Cap payments. Most farmers are well aware of how many round bales are in their yard. A targeted plan to get more bales in the affected areas or imported into the country is instead required. Similarly, earlier Cap payments will only help cash flow, they will not reduce costs or find the required fodder.
His response to record fertiliser prices, now double what farmers were paying five years ago, has been nonexistent, even though the annual window for spreading fertiliser has now closed for this year.
The consumer is suffering and will continue to suffer with ongoing food inflation. Hopefully the Minister will negotiate, secure and distribute sufficient funding to ensure food security and low inflation. – Yours, etc,
RICHARD FOX,
Kilcoole,
Co Wicklow.
