Is the present FF/FG/GP government the worst in the history of the state?

We have bird boxes on trees all around the fringes of the farmyard since the time of reps when farmers were paid for them and owl boxes in barns but it is rare you’d actually see an owl. My neigbor has owl boxes in an old castle on his land and you can see owls there every year and they’re a sight to behold beautiful birds but I think that’s more so because of less traffic around the castle I’m not sure owl boxes in farm yards may startle the owls?

I haven’t seen rat poison since I was a small child around the place we have 11 cats out around the yard at the moment and I can’t remember the last time I saw a rat or mouse around the place and for so called feral cats they are extremely friendly partly down to the milk they are getting twice a day after milking I presume.

We don’t have potato drills as the land around yard wouldn’t be suitable for growing, my parents would have grown them years ago when they were small children. They might start again when they retire but at the moment there’s no time for that. I have no problem admitting we don’t grow any of the food we consume ourselves bar an animal or two slaughtered each year for the freezer as we are dairy and beef farmers and ill let the Irish potato growers what few of them is left look after our potato needs.

Aye, but the targets will have to be hit, so the govt will make it happen one way or another.

I dont know what their approach will be. Perhaps witholding payments for non compliant farms.

Youve answered your own question there.

We domestically consume only a small amount of the beef we produce.

So cutting the herd by say 10 or 20 percent is not going to result in us needing to import beef.

The CO2 emissions we would generate by having to import beef are the same emissions you are advocating when we export 80% to 90% of our beef production.

We arent the only country that produces beef in the world and exporting high emission product will need to be cut globally, not just cut in Ireland.

I’m afraid it is hobby farming though, dairy farming is the only method of farming in Ireland at the moment that would allow a person to be full time farming and earn the average industrial wage. What you describe as diversifying is great in theory but is only a viable income when it is a niche. Once multiple more than two or three small horticulture plots open in each parish the market would be saturated for that parish where as now there may be 10/20 times family farms in that parish providing families livable incomes.

It isnt just a Green policy.

Climate Targets are here to stay, whether we like it or not. If the Green Party dont get into Govt in Ireland the targets will still be there for FFG or SF to own.

In your example, its up to the Brazilian govt to manage their targets.

Just because they miss them doesnt mean we can. Thats like saying its ok to break the law because someone else did it.

We need maybe 10% of the beef that we produce. Culling the herd by 20% isnt going to impact our domestic supply at all & wouldnt require us to import beef and increase emissions that way.

It was poor advice by the government but if you don’t do your own research before taking on such big loans it’s your own problem imo. You need to stress test all big decisions before a big financial undertaking under different scenarios and not just go run for cover under the guise of the government screwed me like many Irish people like to do.

Its an unfortunate situation but all the blame can’t be placed at the governments door.