Irish agriculture is “designed to fail”, Holly Cairns has claimed. 

The leader of the Social Democrats grew up on a family farm in her Cork South West constituency and believes the industry needs a far greater focus on sustainability. 

Speaking on The Pat Kenny Show, she noted Ireland now imports a large majority of the potatoes we consume - something that would have previously been grown locally. 

It is not the only example, she believes, of an industry too reliant on imports. 

“The amount of grain we’re importing for our cattle to eat,” she said. 

“We used to grow that in the tillage sector and now what’s happening?

“Land for tillage is being completely outpriced by people who are renting land for dairy. 

“The whole system is eating itself up and it’s really designed to fail when you zoom out and look at the situation. 

“There’s only so much longer we can continue with this policy that is failing farmers and rural communities.” 

Farmer walking behind a herd of cows on a narrow country road on Valentia Island in County Kerry.

In 2022, the Government set the agricultural sector a target of reducing emissions by 25% by the beginning of the next decade. 

As the cut was negotiated, the IFA complained agriculture had become a ‘soft target for kicking’ but Deputy Cairns said it has long been a “bug bear” of hers that people think farmers don’t care about climate change. 

“Just because we live there [in rural Ireland] and work in those areas doesn’t mean we don’t understand the facts and threat of climate change,” she said. 

“Particularly, from an agricultural perspective, no industry would be more affected by climate change.” 

Sheep farmer with flock on road in County Donegal.

She maintains, however, that the Government could make it easier for the sector to reduce its emissions. 

“The fact of the matter is, we need climate action to be fair and to be thought through,” she said. 

“What we’ve seen from government after government is literally walking farmers to a cliff edge. 

“Waiting until the last minute - for example, with the nitrates derogation coming in - what we need is a plan in place.” 

According to the EPA, agriculture was responsible for 38.4% of Ireland’s emissions in 2022.