Minister Ryan’s Conflicting Comments on CPOs Unhelpful in Debate on Nature Restoration Law

IFA President Tim Cullinan said that there was already huge fear in rural Ireland about the full impact of the proposed Nature Restoration Law, but Minister Eamon Ryan’s conflicting comments on CPOs underline the disjointed approach to the Nature Restoration Law. 

“Minister Eamon Ryan was asked directly by the Today with Claire Byrne programme on RTÉ whether land would be subject to CPO. In a statement, he said ‘he was neither in favour nor against CPOs’.”

On Tuesday, he appeared on the programme in person and said CPOs wouldn’t be used.

“Minister Ryan’s flip-flopping on the use of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) as a means of achieving the targets in the proposed EU law has not allayed farmers’ fears,” he said.

“He cannot expect support for what is proposed when farmers hear conflicting versions about the use of CPOs for the NRL. Farmers cannot take a leap of faith when something as fundamental as this is unresolved,” he said.

The Environment Committee in the European Parliament will meet again next Tuesday to discuss the NRL.