Ireland needs to look at where the real increase in emissions has come from instead of 'looking to scapegoat' farmers.
That's the view of Independent TD for Clare Michael McNamara who is responding to a report commissioned by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that recommends cutting Irish livestock numbers by a third.
The Irish Daily Mail reports that it has also been proposed to quadruple forestry targets to meet climate goals.
Deputy McNamara believes that if Irish farmers reduce livestock numbers, it will cause greenhouse gas emissions to rise in other countries.
"We've seen huge increases in the greenhouse gas emissions in other sectors", he said.
"We've also seen a huge increase in demand for meat and dairy products across the world.
"If Ireland cuts its production levels, we're inevitably going to incentivise the production of more beef and perhaps dairy in places like South America, thereby incentivise environmental damage there."
'Other sectors'
Deputy McNamara says it will be hard for Irish farmers and the rise in emissions is caused by other sectors.
"Of course it would be difficult. We'd be looking at lower livestock numbers than we had 50 years ago, when Ireland joined the European Union", he said.
"But, I mean, the bigger question is what impact would it have within our greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland because the increase in emissions since 1973 has been in other sectors."
'Worse than Cromwell'
Roscommon/Galway TD Michael Fitzmaurice has said that the new climate action plans would be an 'ethnic cleansing' of the agricultural community.
He described the report as "absolutely demoralising" and believes it would do more damage to rural Ireland than Cromwell's invasion.
"This report states very clearly, with what would be proposed, you wouldn't even be living in the area, to be quite frank about it", he said.
"So at least Cromwell didn't mind us living in Connacht. These don't seem to want us to live anywhere."
According to Deputy Fitzmaurice, communities would be "destroyed".
"All we'd have in the west of Ireland, if we are to go by what they're proposing, is wind turbines and theme parks", he said.
Main image shows farmers using tractors to make silage. Picture by: The Irish Image Collection/Design Pics via ZUMA Wire
