Ciarán Mullooly backs EU soil mission: farmer-led solutions
Ciarán Mullooly, MEP for Renew, spoke in Parliament in support of the EU soil mission, endorsing a practical, science-based approach to protect, restore and maintain healthy soils across the Union. He highlighted the link between research and on-farm action and noted Ireland's mission-aligned living lab activity in Clare, Limerick and Tipperary.
Ciarán Mullooly welcomed the proposal as a practical, farmer-centred initiative that addresses flooding, drought and wind erosion. He argued that healthy soil holds water better, supports stronger growth and increases resilience in difficult conditions.
Mullooly emphasised that the mission links research directly with practical action: "It is not research for the shelf, it's research designed to deliver solutions that can work at the coalface of farming." He praised the collaboration between researchers and local communities as a model for delivering usable results.
He highlighted Ireland's contribution, citing a mission-aligned living lab involving the Technological University of the Shannon, Ballyhara Development, Clock Jordan Community Farm, Loophead and Crack and Seeds Ltd working across Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. Mullooly said he would encourage more such labs in his region.
Mullooly warned that soil forms extremely slowly - "it can take a thousand years to create just one centimetre of soil" - and that prevention is essential because restoring damaged soil is neither quick nor easy. He concluded by expressing Renew's support for the proposal and wishing success to the goal of establishing 100 live labs in the EU.
Support for practical soil protection
Ciarán Mullooly welcomed the proposal as a practical, farmer-centred initiative that addresses flooding, drought and wind erosion. He argued that healthy soil holds water better, supports stronger growth and increases resilience in difficult conditions.
Research rooted in real farming
Mullooly emphasised that the mission links research directly with practical action: "It is not research for the shelf, it's research designed to deliver solutions that can work at the coalface of farming." He praised the collaboration between researchers and local communities as a model for delivering usable results.
Local living labs and Irish contribution
He highlighted Ireland's contribution, citing a mission-aligned living lab involving the Technological University of the Shannon, Ballyhara Development, Clock Jordan Community Farm, Loophead and Crack and Seeds Ltd working across Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. Mullooly said he would encourage more such labs in his region.
Long-term stakes and prevention
Mullooly warned that soil forms extremely slowly - "it can take a thousand years to create just one centimetre of soil" - and that prevention is essential because restoring damaged soil is neither quick nor easy. He concluded by expressing Renew's support for the proposal and wishing success to the goal of establishing 100 live labs in the EU.
We publish thousands of recordings to make Irish politics transparent and resistant to manipulation. Spotted an error? Report it — together we are building a reliable archive of Irish politics.
Other speeches
Tego samego dnia All speeches from this day →
Mary Lou McDonald
Mary Lou McDonald: Protecting Irish Neutrality, Defend the Triple Lock
Luke Ming Flanagan
Luke Ming Flanagan: Trump, Fuel VAT and Food Security
Luke Ming Flanagan
Luke Ming Flanagan: Soil Law Won't Help Without Funding
Rose Conway-Walsh
Rose Conway-Walsh: Calls for Clarity on Triple Lock and Defence
Lynn Boylan
Lynn Boylan: Defending the Triple Lock and Irish Neutrality
Transcript
Thank you Chair and colleagues and thank you indeed for the presentation this morning. Renew welcomes this practical approach and this practical proposal to protect, to restore and to maintain healthy soils across the European Union. I think this is exactly the kind of initiative we should support. It's practical, it's science-based and grounded in the real experience of farmers and rural communities right across our Union. Agriculture is already facing the effects of climate change, we know that. Flooding, drought and wind erosion and we know that healthy soil performs better. It holds water better, supports stronger growth and gives greater resilience in difficult conditions. We've seen this on the ground. We should also remind ourselves that it can take a thousand years to create just one centimetre of soil. So that soil can disappear in one torrential rainstorm. This is why prevention is so important. So once soil is damaged, restoring it is neither quick nor indeed easy to do. What is especially positive about this mission is that it links research with practical action. It is not research for the shelf, it's research designed to deliver solutions that can work at the coalface of farming and make a real difference. So I'm pleased to say that I support this and Ireland hosts a full mission-aligned living lab to the Soilcretes project. It brings together the Technological University of the Shannon with Ballyhara Development, Clock Jordan Community Farm, Loophead together and the Crack and Seeds Ltd company all working together at the coalface of farming across Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. It's a very good example of how the European policy comes together with local communities and researchers to deliver practical results. Healthy soil is indeed the foundation of sustainable agriculture, food security and resilient rural areas. I wish you well in achieving the results, the goal of establishing 100 live labs in the EU and I'll do my part to encourage more in my region. For that reason, Renew is very pleased to support this proposal.