Minister Coveney puts wildlife and agricultural sustainability at risk

Capercaille

http://environmentalpillar.ie/2013/07/10/minister-coveney-puts-wildlife-and-agricultural-sustainability-at-risk/
With the bad spring ground nesting birds have delayed nesting by weeks. Farmers in these scheme are paid to delay moving to help protect these fragile habitats. Now they can mow earlier and still get the payment.

OpenYourEyes

Really goes to show that he either has no comprehension in the benefits of biodiversity, or even the purpose of the AEOS's.

Ireland's track record on managing biodiversity on farmland (by far our biggest and most important habitat) would be laughable if it wasn't so depressing!

I think he has an Ag science degree too? Hopefully more recent Ag graduates have been getting a better education into the advantages of biodiversity on farmland.

recedite

Coveny knows exactly what he is doing. In a way he is just looking after the interests of his own people; the farmers, and you can't blame him for that. Like the way he looked after his brother in the horsemeat scandal.
And got the live cattle exports re-started. A cruel and unnecessary trade, but one which protects beef prices from falling too low due to price fixing cartels operating in the meat factories. There are other ways of tackling price fixing, but this way he gets the credit from small farmers, without having to get tough on the factories.

The real problem is Phil Hogan. The lack of a minister for the Environment who is actually interested in protecting the environment, and who would normally act as a counter balance to a very effective minister for agriculture.

Coveney in Agriculture and Gormley in Environment would have been a good combination.