There have been a lot of groups set up in recent weeks to examine issues which could impact farmers significantly in the future and advise the Government on these.Two that caught my eye in particular were the nature restoration advisory committee and the just transition commission. Why? Because they’re light on farmer representation.
There have been a lot of groups set up in recent weeks to examine issues which could impact farmers significantly in the future and advise the Government on these.
Two that caught my eye in particular were the nature restoration advisory committee and the just transition commission. Why? Because they’re light on farmer representation.
The nature restoration advisory committee has six members, one of whom is a farmer; David Kerr runs a dairy and sheep enterprise in Co Laois.
Its chair is Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúillebháin,who previously chaired the Citizens’ Assembly on biodiversity loss.
The just transition commission has 11 members and is headed up by Ali Sheridan, who has previously worked with the Sustainable Agricultural Initiative and An Taisce.
Farmers are solely represented on this commission by dairy farmer Vanessa Kiely O’Connor from Cork.
However, CEO of Irish Rural Link Seamus Boland, who is also chair of the Peatlands Council, brings a rural perspective too.
Is there enough farmer representation on these boards?
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: