TD claims GAEC 2 'still strikes fear and anxiety' in farmers
GAEC 2 is the conditionality standard of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) related to the protection of peatlands and wetlands.
Under the condition, the maintenance of an existing drain is permitted and replacement is acceptable.
However, new drainage on never-drained parcels of land will require planning permission or an exemption from the local authority, as is currently the case under national legislation.
It formally entered into force on May 1, which means that any works carried out before that date do not come under the scope of the condition.
Offaly TD Carol Nolan said she is being regularly contacted by farmers who are "living in daily fear" about the impact of GAEC 2.
She said this is despite repeated assurances from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) that the condition will not impact on the day-to-day activities on land parcels.
Deputy Nolan said she has been raising concerns about the content of GAEC 2 since 2022.
'I have been highlighting the deep-rooted fears that farmers have held with respect to GAEC for a number of years now, and I have to say that nothing from the department in terms of its soothing words around a lack of impact has ever been accepted.
'There is quite simply no trust that the current mapping or assessment methodology will do anything but create deeply adverse economic conditions for farmers who have even moderately peaty land.
'The evidence I have for that is that farmers are still coming to me who are making appeals to the department regarding the categorisation of some of their land parcels as GAEC 2.
"Many of these are herdowners who contend that the maps and categorisation of the land parcels are incorrect," she said.
Deputy Nolan said that many farmers believe that "the correct balance has not been struck" when it comes to GAEC 2.
"That the entire roll-out of GAEC 2 has been an object lesson in poor communication and implementation," she added.
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