"Green" policies are destroying this country

80% by 2030 is but a pipe dream. Just because some policy maker dreamt it up doesn't mean it'll happen. Less than 6.5 years to go and we're going backwards on the 40% in 2020 (which took covid's demand reduction to achieve). You seem to put a lot of blind faith in laws and policy rather than the reality of maths and economics.

Our storage is pathetic apart from Turlough Hill. 20 minute batteries might as well not exist, they don't even cover one market period. At least the new one in Poolbeg will last for 2 hours but it'll barely make up for the error in the wind/solar forecasts nevermind bridge the chasm of a low wind winters day.

Considering the environmental mess this country has been brought to by the lack of backbone by the other political parties I actually think the greens are trying to save the country

But of course the people who want the current situation to continue are the ones making money while they destroy our beautiful country

But of course these people won't pay the increasing fines we have to pay for our disgraceful disregard for environmental policies

It will be the taxpayer who will pay not the farmers not the rural turf cutters with their free fuel not the local authorities discharging raw sewage etc etc

But if course we are a great little country

Nail on the head.

Though if climate change gets as bad as the doom mongers in here would have you believe, then maybe having a stock of cold draughty homes mightnt be so bad. Think of all the air conditioning load we'll save on! Next thing the greens will be taxing us for having too much insulation in summer and not enough in winter.

Farmers generally do what they are advised to do, in terms of farming policy eg move to dairying, intensification and where they can benefit from various grant schemes

So if the policies are wrong, the farmers cannot really be totally to blame

Nobody said they were totally to blame but this didn't happen overnight the recent move to dairy intensification is only new and of course they were incentififed to do so but farmers have destroyed all the waterways over decades with over use of ferts and runoff effulent etc and now they are aware of it they still oppose any attempts to change all they want is money money money but the eu payments scheme made them that way look at the tax take from farmers is miniscule compared to their incomes and still they don't want to pay anyway change is coming and they will have to change as will the rest of us and the days of turning t head and burying it in the same are coming to an end let's hope it comes before the country is totally destroyed environmentally but the rural vote and the so called family farm making millions will not change without kicking and screaming

Right. I read a few lines and realised you don't have a clue what your on about!

Firstly, the EU, via CAP was put in place to ensure a stable and cheap food supply following WWII. It has massively achieved that and is now primarily paid for environmental tasks. The dairy move coincided with the end of quotas and the government pushed hard for more dairy. It worked too and agriculture is the biggest indigenous industry in the country, employing some 220k people and exporting over €6bn worth of produce every year. There was an overuse of fertiliser, primarily due to fertiliser companies pushing it. Also remember that there is a direct link between artificial nitrogen and food prices on shelves. There is nothing that can compare with it to help yields. Cattle numbers in Ireland are pretty static since the early 80's, yet output has grown massively.

Everyone wants money money money. And CAP is not free. There are a huge amount of things to be done and adhered to in order to qualify.

Tax take from farmers is small because it's not very profitable. Plus as a business they will look to reduce their tax liabilities. Farming incomes are non existent outside of dairy.

What makes you think farmers won't pay? How much money has been invested in buildings, storage of slurry/effluent, more accurate machinery for field work, more efficient machines, etc. Have a look at the various TAMs schemes to see how much has been spent by farmers on improvements with the help then from government.

Farmers are changing. It's one of the only industries to improve according to the EPA, and one of the only that has a plan which is already being implemented.

And any business making millions will fight tooth and nail.

Look, it's obvious you're blaming farmers for the ills of the country. I guess it's fair enough, but educate yourself a tad

Notice you had no comment re waterways I think it's you who hasn't a clue saying our rivers are some of the cleanest in the EU its clear where you are coming from

When it comes to bathing water we're in the bottom third of EU countries, so they're not great. I don't know if this is just the sea or it includes lakes and rivers too.

That report is completely out of date look at our own EPA report we are a disgrace and farming is the absolute main reason the rivers are where they are and saying now oh aren't we great we are doing something to clean them of course you should buy greed destroyed them and continues to farming in Ireland is grossly inefficient so called family farms supported by the taxpayer every other industry has had to change and do will farming why have 10 small farms when the same could be done with 1 oh yes we need to keep all the family farms

To be fair, the above map only shows findings up to 2015 on water quality. The milk quotas were lifted in 2015 so it all went downhill from then. I'd love to see an updated one.

Oh no it definitely didn't go down hill only after the milk quotas were lifted the rivers were in a terrible state long before that look at the lakes in Cavan destroyed by pig farming the nore suir waterway very high pollution levels long before 2015

But I know it's got worse since 2015

The EPA reports are available online

Regardless of what you post you are getting very exercised on the prospect of Lansdowne suing the state under the Energy Charter Treaty. But then if I was in your position I would be worried too.

I`m no expert on international treaties, but to answer your question, if I was Lansdowne both Article 10 and Article 13 would look like frtile grounds.

Interesting is it not that before August 2021 of the 64 companies that recieved arbitral awards under the ECT over half, (34), were related to investment in renewable energy. Close to 75% more, (20), relating to fossil based energy investments. From that does it not seem that the E.U. problem with the ECT is more to do with renewable energy companies than the line greens are attempting to spin that it`s all to do with fossil fuel companies.?

Family farms are the backbone of rural Ireland. Of course they should be looked after. 10 family farms keeps 10 families in the community,

That's like saying to someone making widgets keep making them and we will keep buying them any other industry can't say oh please don't close we employ 500 people or we are the backbone of a town so please just let the taxpayer continue to pay us

It's mad but only gets accepted because of our rural vote wagging the dog

"Again you mention support by the taxpayer. I've no problem with those supports ending as long as the farms output is paid for by the purchasers at a rate that covers production costs plus a wage to live on."

What you are really saying is cover production costs for 10 farms where 1 could do the same why should the taxpayer support that it's not viable

At the moment taxpayers are paying to support way too many farms the same output could be achieved by way less farms without intensification just the same amount of land farmed by fewer farmers with people employed

Small family farms are not living in the real world they are non viable supported by taxpayers but are not necessary to produce food that could be done by way less units

The bitterness comes out.

The people destroying the country with their greed for profit? You mean capitalism and general economic practice?

One of the most profitable sectors in the last decade has been renewables. Shouldn't we be saving it from them too? They aren't developing anything on an altruistic basis and it is big money disguised behind their alleged green goals. There's a reason why they can afford to pay approx 50 staff in Wind Energy Ireland and others to do their lobbying. That's before the likes of Dacor do it for them for free.