Mattie McGrath slams carbon deal and 'convoluted' green schemes
Mattie McGrath criticised a proposed carbon purchase deal with Slovakia and condemned the rollout of domestic green schemes as "convoluted" and inaccessible. He accused the Government of "rubber stamping" a deal that buys carbon credits from a country he said is not meeting its own targets.
Main allegation
He asked whether the debate was "closing the stable door when the horse is gone" and warned the measure appeared to be merely rubber stamping a carbon deal with Slovakia, which he said was not meeting its own targets.
Critique of scheme rollout
He described grant and support schemes as convoluted and deliberately difficult to access, saying departments design schemes so that "nobody can draw them down." He contrasted that with Northern Ireland, where he said solar panels are visible on farms and buildings.
Impact on farmers and food supply
He said the demonising of farmers and rural people is "shameful," and raised practical concerns about insufficient infrastructure - including a lack of electric vehicle charge points, tractors and equipment - that he says will undermine farm production. He warned of culling cow numbers and strikes affecting food availability.
Funding and agency criticism
He claimed NGOs and related bodies are well-funded - "nearly five and a half billion" - and criticised state agencies, including the EPA, suggesting they are not doing the work expected of them. He framed the Slovakia deal as further proof of what he called a misplaced approach to climate and agricultural policy.
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Minister, I want to ask you the right question as well. Are we here talking about closing the stable door when the horse is gone? Is this deal signed already? We are merely rubber stamping it here. I too have huge issues, Minister, that we are buying these carbon of Slovakia who are not meeting their own targets. It is purely fascinating as far as I am concerned. I have huge issues regarding the whole rollout. You have schemes and schemes. It is the same across every government organisation. The housing is no different. It is actually worse. Convoluted schemes that people cannot access. For years we have talked about Northern Ireland, where you see solar panels on every farm, building, in every place you pass. Here, finally, we have a removed planning provision from now. But the schemes and the grant schemes and support schemes are so convoluted, so contrived. They are deliberately designed that way that nobody can draw them down. That is, as far as I am concerned, with my hand in my heart and many other schemes in the same way. Designed by the departments here who seem to make things more difficult for people. We are trying to give you a green dream here. I think that many aspects of our big fear, frightening people and everything else. I am not a climate change denier, but I do say that the demonising of farmers and agricultural people and rural people is shameful. We do not have, as other speakers said, electric charge pints for vehicles in the country. But we certainly do not have the tractors or equipment or whatever else to do, the stuff we want to do, the carry-on harvesting out crops that we want to do for farm production. We will keep going here with the culling cow numbers and the culling down in the night waste strikes and everything else, that we will not be able to produce enough food for our people to live on. It is shameful. This is the way every organisation and all the NGOs are lined up behind you. They are well-funded, nearly five and a half billion. And you also have all the different agencies. If the EPA reports that they have no business going near, they can go to plenty of other places to do their work, but they are not doing it. So I think it is the greatest kind job and this proves it here today that you are doing this deal with Slovakia, a country that is not meeting its own targets. Thank you very much. Thank you very much.
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