Cowen slams communications over Nature Restoration Law

Fianna Fail TD Barry Cowen has said a review of Government communications needs to be undertaken in light of what he described as the "fiasco around the Nature Restoration Law".

"At this week's Fianna Fail Parliamentary Party meeting, it was confirmed to me that all the scares that had been put around on the Nature Restoration Law were bogus," Mr Cowen said.

"Our Party Leader and Minister for Agriculture confirmed that there will be no compulsion on farmers to participate in the schemes, that there is sufficient land in the State banks to meet the Irish targets on re-wetting, that there will be compensation for any funding to adjoining lands damaged by re-wetting."

"It is unfortunate that the Government allowed the untruths to take hold. The communications around this law has been far from satisfactory and requires review. The eye was seen to have been off the ball on this key issue for Ireland and while progress was made in recent at EU level by Council of Ministers, all this was lost in the spurious claims being made by negative forces."

"I am now writing to the Ministers involved to communicate clearly on the matter. I will be asking the Minister for Agriculture and the Tanaiste to undertake a communications campaign to make clear the facts confirmed to me this week and to unwind the false narratives they have allowed to take hold."

Deputy Cowen also said he would be asking Ministers Ryan and McConalogue to use this opportunity to gift sites on Bord na Mona, Coillte and other national land banks for community renewable projects.

"I am also asking the Minister for Housing to confirm to the public that the Nature Law will not as claimed impede any county or city development plan on residential housing. The Government needs to get the narrative on this important law back on track and out of the hands of doomsayers for Irish farming."