Danny Healy-Rae: EPA 'lost credibility' on informers
Danny Healy-Rae told the Dáil he was "frightened alive" by evidence presented that, he says, shows the EPA has accepted informer testimony and NGO reports. He warned that state-funded NGOs and accepted intelligence risk shutting down horticultural businesses and costing jobs.
Danny Healy-Rae challenged the EPA's credibility, arguing the agency appears to be relying on informers and NGO reports rather than independent evidence. He expressed alarm that taxpayers' money is funding groups that he believes are actively objecting to commercial activity in horticulture.
Healy-Rae raised explicit concern that NGOs are being paid by the state and asked how those payments are authorised and sustained. He said the process is unfair to people trying to survive and create employment while funding flows to organisations that may be opposing them.
The deputy also asked for clarity on how land holdings are measured for planning and licensing, using a 10-hectare versus 50-hectare example to question whether neighbouring holdings are aggregated in applications. He said the lack of clarity threatens future operations for growers.
Healy-Rae highlighted delays in decision-making for horticulturists and charities, saying some have waited two years for answers and fear closure. He urged explanation and accountability from regulators to protect jobs and businesses.
What's said
Danny Healy-Rae challenged the EPA's credibility, arguing the agency appears to be relying on informers and NGO reports rather than independent evidence. He expressed alarm that taxpayers' money is funding groups that he believes are actively objecting to commercial activity in horticulture.
Funding concerns
Healy-Rae raised explicit concern that NGOs are being paid by the state and asked how those payments are authorised and sustained. He said the process is unfair to people trying to survive and create employment while funding flows to organisations that may be opposing them.
Land measurement and planning questions
The deputy also asked for clarity on how land holdings are measured for planning and licensing, using a 10-hectare versus 50-hectare example to question whether neighbouring holdings are aggregated in applications. He said the lack of clarity threatens future operations for growers.
Delays and consequences
Healy-Rae highlighted delays in decision-making for horticulturists and charities, saying some have waited two years for answers and fear closure. He urged explanation and accountability from regulators to protect jobs and businesses.
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Transcript
Cathaoirleach, I suppose, it didn't easily frighten me, but what has happened here inside today, with the last group and this group, I'm frightened alive. I see that the EPA agency has lost a lot of credibility in that I never thought that they'd accept informers' evidence or people who are working to go to these dips to ensure that the horticultural industry will be totally wiped out. And I have nothing against the three minions, I don't know any one of them. But if this is the way the EPA agency is operating, God help anyone that's trying to do anything, that's trying to employ people. And, I mean, there's a figure given there, 350,000 tonnes by the CSO, officer, whatever, who weighed that? How much of it is water? I mean, these allegations and stories, I don't know where to hear it. And the independent nature of the EPA agency, who are charged, they're part of it, employed by the state, to protect our environment. But when we're depending, and when they're depending on NGOs or informers, as I call them, and I said it here inside before he came in, these people, these informers, and some of them call themselves the people of death or whatever, and like nothing could be further, they're getting paid out of taxpayers' money to actually object and to do this work. And I don't know who said over here that these intelligence operated back a hundred years ago when we were trying to gain our freedom. But it's sorrowful to think that this is going on now in order to put people out of work, individuals and companies. He's been clear that they're not being paid. In result, the NGOs are being paid by the state. I didn't say by the EPA. They're being paid by the state. We got a list of them, and each amount that each of them got, and I railed against it, and we'll have to rail further against it. It is not fair that people that are trying to survive and trying to create jobs, they are getting no funding for nothing. They're actually paying taxes, and in taxes there's funding these NGOs and these environmental people. It's very, very wrong. So explain to me about the 10 hectares and the 30 hectares. If I own 10 hectares here on this page and the fellow on the page alongside me owns 50 hectares, is it all measured together? If I'm only using 10, is the fellow alongside me, is his ground measured, included in my application? For planning? Yes, if I'm milling for vegetables or whatever, I have 10 acres here, and this fellow has 50 acres here, or hectares. Is it all being taken into consideration? Is it an area, or is it what an individual owns? Our understanding is that your neighbour with 50 hectares has to apply separately to you, Deputy. Would he not include his 50 with my 10 when I'm applying? I don't think so, Deputy. God wants to know that. There's a big difference. It's the future issue we were talking about. Sorry, Deputy. Well, I don't know. I think this is terrible what we've had here this evening. Boar stories by the horticulturists and the charity that they're expecting to get, and they're waiting for two years for one answer, and the answer hasn't come yet. And that's very unfortunate, most unfortunate. They'll close down along with the rest of them. Dean, what I'm hearing is that the EPA agency that we prided ourselves on is accepting intelligence and information from informers. It's terrible. Look, I'm only elected here to represent people and to do no harm to no one. But this is totally wrong, what's going on. And where those environmentalists are getting their funding, and what's keeping them rolling? To close other people down. Thank you, Deputy.