Connacht Tribune
Emissions targets ‘crazy attack’ on rural Ireland
Farm leaders and opposition politicians have warned that the 25% emissions reduction for the agricultural sector – agreed last week by the Cabinet – could have massive negative implications for farming and the rural economy over the coming years.
Two former Ministers have accused the Government of going ‘for the soft touch option’ and of launching ‘a crazy attack’ on the farming community, with their latest emissions’ targets.
Former Minister of State, Deputy Seán Canney, described the 25% reduction in agricultural emissions between now and 2030 as ‘a PR stunt without any back-up details’.
“The passing of the Climate Action Bill set in train this crazy attack on farming. The Bill was supported by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael backbench TDs, so they just cannot blame the Greens,” he said.
He added that with only vague promises of financial supports and no money in place, young people would find it difficult to stay farming.
“This knee-jerk reaction from the Government will pose serious problems for family farms around the country,” said Deputy Canney.
According to Roscommon-Galway Independent TD, Denis Naughten, the ‘sad reality’ of the situation was that agriculture was now being treated as ‘the soft touch’ in terms of emissions reduction targets.
He also said that the Government must assure the farming sector that if their 2030 emissions reduction targets are not met in other sectors, then agriculture can not be asked again for further reductions.
“The reality is that right across each of the emission sectors, we are now seeking monumental change over the next 89 months, a rate of change that has not been achieved anywhere on our planet.
“This can only be realistically achieved through the development of innovative solutions to address Ireland’s unique challenges.
“The fact that 37% of our population live in isolated rural areas and are reliant to such a huge extent on solid and oil-fired central heating are examples of these unique challenges,” said Denis Naughten.
Galway-Mayo IFA Regional Executive, Roy O’Brien, told the Connacht Tribune that the emissions’ reduction target in agriculture could not be measured; was badly thought out; and would be largely unworkable.
“Every farm is different – there is no one size fits all solution on this issue. How can solutions be put in place for something that can’t be measured,” said Roy O’Brien.
Co Galway IFA Chairman, Stephen Canavan, said that no one really had a clue as to how the proposed emissions’ cut would be worked out on individual farms.
“We’re being told that this will all be a voluntary process, but I don’t think anyone has an idea about all this will work out. There simply is no roadmap in place for this whole process,” said Stephen Canavan.
Macra na Feirme National President, John Keane, said this week that the 25% reduction in sectoral emissions for the agriculture sector between now and 2030 puts Ireland’s farm family model at risk without any plan in place as to how farmers can achieve these targets.
“Macra na Feirme has not seen any governmental economic impact assessment outlining how a reduction of 25% will affect the rural economy and the individual family farms that will be expected to deliver this target.
“We now have an arbitrary figure with no agreed science-based pathway to achieving this target that ensures farm viability and allows young people to enter the sector.
“A detailed plan with substantial funding for its delivery is lacking and farmers are failing to see the much talked about just transition in action for farm families,” said John Keane.
In a Farmers Journal commissioned study by KPMG Consultants – and published last week – it was stated that a 21% emissions’ reduction in agriculture would result in 10,000 job losses while a 30% cut would lead to a massive 56,400 jobs cut.
(Photo: Roy O’Brien of the IFA)
Connacht Tribune
West has lower cancer survival rates than rest
Significant state investment is required to address ‘shocking’ inequalities that leave cancer patients in the West at greater risk of succumbing to the disease.
A meeting of Regional Health Forum West heard that survival rates for breast, lung and colorectal cancers than the national average, and with the most deprived quintile of the population, the West’s residents faced poorer outcomes from a cancer diagnosis.
For breast cancer patients, the five-year survival rate was 80% in the West versus 85% nationally; for lung cancer patients it was 16.7% in the west against a 19.5% national survival rate; and in the West’s colorectal cancer patients, there was a 62.6% survival rate where the national average was 63.1%.
These startling statistics were provided in answer to a question from Ballinasloe-based Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Ind) who said it was yet another reminder that cancer treatment infrastructure in the West was in dire need of improvement.
“The situation is pretty stark. In the Western Regional Health Forum area, we have the highest incidence of deprivation and the highest health inequalities because of that – we have the highest incidences of cancer nationally because of that,” said Cllr Parsons, who is also a general practitioner.
In details provided by CEO of Saolta Health Care Group, which operates Galway’s hospitals, it was stated that a number of factors were impacting on patient outcomes.
Get the full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune, on sale in shops now, or you can download the digital edition from www.connachttribune.ie. You can also download our Connacht Tribune App from Apple’s App Store or get the Android Version from Google Play.
Connacht Tribune
Galway minors continue to lay waste to all opponents
Galway 3-18
Cork 1-10
NEW setting; new opposition; new challenge. It made no difference to the Galway minor hurlers as they chalked up a remarkable sixth consecutive double digits championship victory at Semple Stadium on Saturday.
The final scoreline in Thurles may have been a little harsh on Cork, but there was no doubting Galway’s overall superiority in setting up only a second-ever All-Ireland showdown against Clare at the same venue on Sunday week.
Having claimed an historic Leinster title the previous weekend, Galway took a while to get going against the Rebels and also endured their first period in a match in which they were heavily outscored, but still the boys in maroon roll on.
Beating a decent Cork outfit by 14 points sums up how formidable Galway are. No team has managed to lay a glove on them so far, and though Clare might ask them questions other challengers haven’t, they are going to have to find significant improvement on their semi-final win over 14-man Kilkenny to pull off a final upset.
Galway just aren’t winning their matches; they are overpowering the teams which have stood in their way. Their level of consistency is admirable for young players starting off on the inter-county journey, while the team’s temperament appears to be bombproof, no matter what is thrown at them.
Having romped through Leinster, Galway should have been a bit rattled by being only level (0-4 each) after 20 minutes and being a little fortunate not to have been behind; or when Cork stormed out of the blocks at the start of the second half by hitting 1-4 to just a solitary point in reply, but there was never any trace of panic in their ranks.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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Connacht Tribune
Gardaí and IFA issue a joint appeal on summer road safety
GARDAÍ and the IFA have issued a joint appeal to all road users to take extra care as the silage season gets under way across the country.
Silage harvesting started in many parts of Galway last week – and over the coming month, the sight of tractors and trailers on rural roads will be getting far more frequent.
Inspector Conor Madden, who is in charge of Galway Roads Policing, told the Farming Tribune that a bit of extra care and common-sense from all road users would go a long way towards preventing serious collisions on roads this summer.
“One thing I would ask farmers and contractors to consider is to try and get more experienced drivers working for them.
“Tractors have got faster and bigger – and they are also towing heavy loads of silage – so care and experience are a great help in terms of accident prevention,” Inspector Madden told the Farming Tribune.
He said that tractor drivers should always be aware of traffic building up behind them and to pull in and let these vehicles pass, where it was safe to do so.
“By the same token, other road users should always exercise extra care; drive that bit slower; and ‘pull in’ that bit more, when meeting tractors and heavy machinery.
“We all want to see everyone enjoying a safe summer on our roads – that extra bit of care, and consideration for other roads users can make a huge difference,” said Conor Madden.
He also advised motorists and tractor drivers to be acutely aware of pedestrians and cyclists on the roads during the summer season when more people would be out walking and cycling on the roads.
The IFA has also joined in on the road safety appeal with Galway IFA Farm Family and Social Affairs Chair Teresa Roche asking all road users to exercise that extra bit of care and caution.
“We are renewing our annual appeal for motorists to be on the look out for tractors, trailers and other agricultural machinery exiting from fields and farmyards,” she said.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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The Connacht Tribune Live app is the home of everything that is happening in Galway City and county. It’s completely FREE and features all the latest news, sport and information on what’s on in your area. Click HERE to download it for iPhone and iPad from Apple’s App Store, or HERE to get the Android Version from Google Play.