Social Democrat’s nitrate’s nonsense offers a stark glimpse into our farming future

Independent TD for Offaly Carol Nolan has said she “hopes and prays that the Social Democrats are not provided with any opportunity to formally shape Ireland’s agricultural policy at Government or EU level.”

Deputy Nolan was speaking as comments relating to the party’s position on the retention of the nitrate’s derogation made by its TD Jennifer Whitmore continues to generate strong criticism.

Speaking on RTE’s Drivetime programme Deputy Whitmore said the government was treating “rivers as drains” and was failing to protect the environment and that by seeking an extension to the derogation Government was effectively “driving farmers towards a cliff edge.”:

“The Soc Dems appear to be trying to out Green the Green party and we all know what the people thought of that approach at the last general election. There is no room for this kind of wishy-washy, insipid nonsense at a point in time when the livelihoods of thousands of our farmers are hanging in the balance.”

“We need to get behind the extension for our derogation and we need to collectively acknowledge the enormous environmental strides that our farming community have made in the last number of years, particularly with respect to safeguarding water and eliminating waste effectively and responsibly.”

“If any party is pushing farmers toward a cliff edge it is the Social Democrats, because that is all that this kind of undermining rhetoric will ultimately achieve. For now however we have been provided with a glimpse of what a Soc Dem government might actually look like for Irish farmers and it is not a pretty sight,” concluded Deputy Nolan.