Concerns around the lack of funding and implementation of the Nature Restoration Plan (NRP) have been reiterated by the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA).

The expectation that farming will not be affected under the plan has also been raised as a concern by INHFA president Pheilim Molloy.

Minister of State with special responsibility for nature, heritage and biodiversity Christopher O'Sullivan stated that the NRP will not displace farming and that actions under the plan will be voluntary.

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However, Molloy said: “The law itself is clear in its requirements around restoration and re-establishment targets as specified under Article 4 of the Nature Restoration Law and confirmed in the NRP.”

The terms of the plan “require restoration measures necessary to improve to good condition, in areas of habitat types listed under Annex one, which are currently not deemed to be in a favourable condition on at least 90% of these lands by the end of the plan”.

“It is not a voluntary option, but a clear requirement on these lands which are primarily hill and peat-based lands,” Molloy stressed.

Funding

Major concerns have also been raised by Molloy on the lack of dedicated funding for the plan.

“Many farmers will see this as a rerun of the land designations (SAC and SPAs) introduced in the late '90s. Here, no funding was put in place despite the onerous burden imposed on landowners through these designations,” he stated.

The INHFA president expressed that the Minister and others have highlighted the need to support farmers for actions they undertake. However, he said that there is no path to cover baseline costs which will result in the same outcome as the “hated designations”.

“While actions such as rewetting will probably be funded, there is no indication that funding will be available for the baseline costs of the land being included under the NRP.

“Examples of these costs include the requirement for farmers to get permission to carry out basic farming activity or the associated devaluation that will come from these lands being included under the NRP.

“The full impact of the Nature Restoration Law and associated plan will become clearer as we move towards the end of this decade and into the 2030s."