McGrath accuses coalition of abandoning rural Ireland

© Pat Flynn

A Tipperary TD has launched a stinging attack on the government parties for supporting the new EU Nature Restoration Laws.

The European Parliament passed the legislation by a margin of 54 votes yesterday, with Sinn Féin’s Chris MacManus and independent Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan the two Irish MEPs to vote against the law.

It aims to restore 20 per cent of the EU’s land and sea by 2030, and all ecosystems by 2050.

Speaking in the Dáil in the wake of the vote Deputy Mattie McGrath said farming families, fishing families and rural communities are devastated by the vote.

“Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil and the Greens are going around lobbying and canvassing every day for the European Parliament. They should be ran from every door in the country because they have absolutely neglected and abused the farming and the people of rural Ireland.

“They won’t stop until the people are hungry and the people of Dublin and cities will be hungry also. It’s a shame on ye the way that ye let down…ye claim to be parties of rural Ireland. Ye have abandoned them – but abandoned is bad enough – ye want to kill them off altogether. They’re devastated in the farming community by this law.”