The carbon farming working group is being reviewed with a view to including farmer representation, Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue as said.

In response to a question from Jackie Cahill TD, Minister McConalogue said he would look at including farm organisations in the group.

“Stakeholder engagement has been central to policy development in this area, with the Department of Agriculture holding meetings and workshops with relevant stakeholders, which included farm organisations, agencies of the Department and non-government organisation (NGOs) sectors.

“In relation specifically to engagement with farmers, all farm organisations and their representatives were consulted through individual stakeholder meetings to inform the process,” the Minister said, before adding he would review participation in the group.

Critical

Farm organisations were critical in recent weeks of the decision to exclude them from direct involvement in the working group tasked with developing carbon farming in Ireland.

The group was established last year to provide guidance on the development of a national carbon farming framework and set out how carbon farming will work in practice.

The working group currently includes representatives from Bord Bia, Teagasc, the Department, EIT Climate KIC, the Irish Strategic Investment Fund, the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society (ICOS), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Economic and Social Council and the Department of Environment.