'Farmers will not see land stolen by EU'

Protesters irate over new eco law

- SHAUNA CORR

IRISH MEPS must stop politicking and do the right thing to deliver Europe's Nature Restoration Law amid "disinformation and lies" about agricultural impacts, a Green Party MEP urged.

Grace O'Sullivan says land will not be "stolen" from farmers and that failure to usher in this game-changing law will have a major impact on food security and the nature we rely on for life.

The Green Party MEP says Europe's new Nature Restoration Law follows the Biodiversity Strategy that had cross-party support.

It aims to reverse the major decline in species and habitats across Europe, where 81 per cent of habitats are in a bad state and 1,677 species are threatened with extinction.

But tensions have been mounting in recent weeks.

The public, environmental groups and politicians rallied outside the Dail on Wednesday to urge Irish politicians to support the proposed law.

Minister Malcolm Noonan told us: "It works for Irish farming and works for nature.

TARGETS

"The targets for 2030 and even 2040 can be met with State lands and thereafter we are talking about a small contribution by farming possibly under 14,000 hectares.