Bríd Smith: Intensive farming is 'hemorrhaging' Ireland's biodiversity
Bríd Smith spoke about the biodiversity crisis, arguing that Ireland is "hemorrhaging" biodiversity and that intensive, export-driven farming has devastated hedgerows and nature. She cited experts and EPA findings linking rising nitrate use and poor river and ocean quality to the intensive agricultural model and criticised Food Vision and related plans as favouring intensive producers over environmental sustainability.
Citizens' assembly findings
She reported that the citizens' assembly on biodiversity heard an expert describe Ireland as one of the most nature-depleted countries and said Sitka plantations and wiped-out hedgerows have created "biodiversity deserts."
Pollution and nitrates
She pointed to EPA evidence that rivers and oceans continue to have poor quality and linked this directly to the growth in nitrate use, which she said is a consequence of intensive farming and an export-driven model forced on farmers.
Critique of policy and Food Vision
She argued that platitudes on biodiversity must end and said Food Vision and other Department of Agriculture plans have left many farmers struggling while benefiting a small minority involved in intensive farming, contributing to nature and biodiversity loss.
Calls for dialogue and alternative approaches
She endorsed greater local engagement and dialogue, noting the value of the shared dialogue series, a climate and biodiversity network and All-Island forums as ways to build mutual trust and address climate and biodiversity challenges.
Additional remarks
The transcript also records references to forthcoming citizens' assemblies on drugs and several personal and local anecdotes from the floor, with parts of the record appearing garbled or fragmented.
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The citizens assembly on biodiversity heard this weekend that Ireland is not losing its biodiversity it's hemorrhaging its biodiversity and an expert told the group there that we are one of the most nature depleted countries on the planet and if you cross Ireland if anyone cross Ireland they can see everywhere sitka plantations and biodiversity deserts which is basically our hedgerows which have been wiped out and should be a refuge for biodiversity. We've also learned from the EPA that our rivers and oceans continue to have poor quality and this is a direct result of the growth in nitrate use which in itself is a direct consequence of the intensive farming and export driven model that we have forced our farmers into. It's time that we move beyond the platitudes on the biodiversity crisis and accept it that food vision and other related plans from the Department of Agriculture have left our farming community largely struggling to survive. We have benefited only a tiny minority involved in intensive farming and export and it has left us bare in terms of nature and biodiversity. We cannot separate the agricultural model that we have in this country from the biodiversity crisis and collapse that we are overseeing. When will this change and when will the platitudes on biodiversity end? The Deputy Smith talked about a nature depleted planet which I don't disagree with. I would say that we do have to focus more strongly on the quality of our rivers and estuaries and ocean waters. Again, the food vision is endeavouring to balance food production and the need for food production with the environmental sustainability. That is the objective and there was widespread consultation. Not everybody agreed with the outcome. It is clearly failing, Taoiseach, so it can't be balanced if it is failing. It was only announced about a year ago, so it has some distance to go yet in respect of its objectives. In terms of the citizens' assemblies, I happen to think the shared initiative in terms of the dialogue series is there as a far more effective way of building reconciliation. Building mutual trust, working with people on the ground, engaging in dialogue across the board on issues such as climate, which we have created, sorry, a climate and biodiversity network has been created on the island. A lot of research networks have been created on the island and the All-Island Women's Forum has been collected. I was at a group on Monday with Chris involving communities involved in education at the interface areas in Belfast from preschool to primary school to secondary school. That is the type of understanding and dialogue we need to build up on the island and that is the approach I favour in respect of that. I think the next two citizens' assemblies will be on drugs. I think the certain he and I can tell by others is the sou of the inner city of Godheres. I. I don't know when you get questo, thank you every person who's here debate about it. Mo. Illa 벤 Normal. Illa 벤 runners, I! I don't know when you get this throughout the nation, I think this is a situation ofneo. And I'm the best as many terrish family and my mom here at the foundation of the island of Kinghouse and my friends have been picked up by the first house. And I know when you get down this series, it says that I know and I'm the best known in parting village of God's view, so if I don't need to find these hills.
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