Mattie McGrath criticises rural carbon tax and forestry rules
Mattie McGrath criticised the budget's carbon tax and climate measures, saying they are destroying rural Ireland and preventing people from building houses in the countryside. He called for protection of forestry harvesting rights, stronger support for farmers, pensioners and carers, and warned of energy shortages and rising costs.
Carbon tax and rural impact
McGrath described the carbon tax in last year's budget as a "sneaky" measure and argued that climate mitigation policies are being applied in a way that devastates rural Ireland. He said ordinary people are being "crucified" by rules that stop rural house building and drive people off the land.
Pollution and local infrastructure complaints
He raised local pollution issues, accusing county councils of allowing raw sewers to discharge in villages and towns and referenced speakers, including Chris Sanders, who have highlighted similar problems. McGrath contrasted those failings with what he sees as harsh treatment of rural residents by environmental and planning rules.
Forestry and harvesting rights
McGrath said he will bring forward private members' legislation to protect forestry contracts and allow people to harvest trees they sowed under 25- to 40-year cycles. He criticised the recruitment of inspectors in the Department of Agriculture and accused the minister of playing "mind games" with people trying to cut timber to build houses.
Energy, peat and power plants
He challenged the handling of the energy transition, claiming a power plant in Lainsborough was taken down and exported to Germany and arguing that Ireland is effectively importing peat. McGrath warned of possible blackouts, questioned how electric tractors and trucks will be affordable, and said costs will be passed on to businesses and consumers.
Cost of living, pensions and services
He voiced support for a 20 euro increase for pensioners, carers and vulnerable people but said it would not cover rising costs. McGrath expressed concern about fuel prices and the wider impact of transition policies on farmers, small businesses and rural communities.
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I am very critical of this, and I am very critical of the sneaky way in the budget last year where you put in a carbon tax, and we won't even debate it in the finance bill next year or for the next nine years. This trick-in-the-loop job, a three-car trip, I agree, we all agree there is climate mitigation necessary, but we are being destroyed in rural Ireland, destroyed in rural Ireland, totally destroyed, it is pure folly. Go back to many speakers earlier spoken, I am speaking about, the pollution that has been carried out by county councils up and down the country, and we had Chris Sanders talking with Dublin, I could bring it to 10, 15, 20 villages in Tipperary, I could bring it to different towns, a few raw sewers out, and then we crucify the ordinary people, you won't allow people to build houses in rural Ireland, you are trying to drive the people off the land, we see the young farmers now, and I support them wholeheartedly, they were encouraged by government, encouraged by Deputy Britain's government, encouraged by Chagas, to up their game and production, with the cheese plants in South Kilkenny, and we have Antashka, these band of roving bandits, that are holding up and being recklessly being to the court four and five times, it is shocking, and what are you doing then, you are funding Antashka by the taxes of those people that you are crucified, it just wouldn't go on in an asylum, the lunatics are definitely in charge here, and we see then the just transition, that Deputy Norton speaks about, it couldn't be more unjust, and she mentioned the power plants, and asked to have them in Lainsborough and the other one in her own constitution re-activated, I am told that the one in Lainsborough has been taken down, and been exported to Germany, and been put into commission there, in Europe, we are importing the peat then, my goodness almighty, the poor people out there are just devastated, and you think that you can flee some of the prices, the price of food, how are we going to get a tractor that is driven by electricity, how are we going to get a electric trucks, as Deputy McGuinness said, and if we ever manage to have them, the cost of them will have to be passed on to, the business people can't afford, the cost of fuel now, and God help the people for the winter, I too want a 20 euro increase for pensioners and carers and vulnerable people in the budget, because that won't even cover the cost that's going up, we are going to have blackouts now, and we are warning about this, we have with the last 12 months, because we air great torches, and now you are saying that, you are saying that, oh it might happen, it can't happen, the fact that the backbenters here told us, they wouldn't be a cull in the cow-hard, when this famous bill was going through here, and where are they now, we can see it in front of our eyes, they are saying downright lies to the people, are they so stupid themselves, that they won't even question the fact of what they are being told, propaganda and spin, Deputy, Deputy sir, you can't say lies and you know it, but that's what they said, jump well anything, I prefer if you use other language, most basic, most basic untruths, I mean, are they sleeping on the wheel, They will hear it from the electorate when they go back, it's shocking that we won't allow timber be cut. I want, and we're bringing forward private member's legislation, to have a situation regarding forestation. People in the contracts in good faith, 25 and 30 year cycle, maybe 40, with the expectation that they could harvest that crop. When you sow your potatoes, your beet, your wheat or barley, or miscancer, or any other crop, you have a right and an expectation to cut it. I want that the same way for Forestry. Get rid of the legions of inspectors that we're recruiting in the Department of Agriculture. Minister Hackett is inside there, playing rec and playing mental games with people, mind games with people trying to harvest their timber, to build houses. We're talking about housing for all, and we can't cut a stick. We can't cut the hand of a brush without getting a licence. We go back to harvesting our crop, reap what we sow, and I tell ye, ye are going to reap what ye sow. While we're trying to get small eines. We can cut through each of these that you have espectro MAR IS from the level of aesthetic美味itat. We can't cut these off, but we can't cut those but you can't cut the net because you'll look closer.
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