‘He’ll go to Beijing, but not Birr’ – Eamon Ryan ‘snubs’ farmers worried over re-wetting of bogs

However, his officials told organisers the minister was unable to accept the invitation and “sends his regrets”.

Farmers in the region say they have concerns about their livelihoods. A representative body said the rejection means landowners will consider legal action to safeguard their incomes.

Mr Ryan’s rejection came after weeks of back and forth with the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association ( ICMSA) as it sought assurances from him.

Bord na Móna ended peat-harvesting on its lands two years ago and has committed to decommissioning about 33,000 hectares of bogs by re-wetting them and creating soggy conditions to promote biodiversity.

However, farmers are unhappy with guarantees that the re-wetting process will not affect land next to the bogs.

Correspondence shows ICMSA president Pat McCormack wrote to Mr Ryan on January 6, inviting him and Bord na Móna chief executive Tom Donnellan to a public meeting last month to address the concerns.

Mr Ryan pushed back against the proposal twice. First, officials in his office proposed a meeting with Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue instead. Then Mr Ryan suggested a meeting between officials from his office, Bord na Móna and the ICMSA before he would extend an invitation for the association to meet him.

On February 15, the ICMSA said this was not what had been intended.

“What we offered — and still offer — is to act as host and chair a public meeting to be held in Tullamore at a date convenient for yourself at which the local communities, business and farming groups could avail of your presence to express their concerns about the consequences of this enormous project,” the association wrote.

An official in Mr Ryan’s office replied 10 days ago to say the minister would not participate in such a meeting.

The response has angered the association, which claims Mr Ryan “will go to Beijing, but not Birr”.

Mr Ryan is representing the Government in Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong this week for St Patrick’s Day.

Michael Guinan, who runs a farm at Rahan, west of Tullamore, wants a written assurance his family’s land will not be adversely affected or, in the event of problems, will be put right.

Bord na Móna said it called to all homes within one kilometre of bogs rehabilitated last year and said the equivalent 2023 process is continuing.

It invites farm groups to attend meetings and site visits and make submissions to its draft proposals before publishing final plans online. “Over 60 virtual or in-person meetings and 30 site visits have been held with stakeholders to date,” a spokesman said.

But Mr Guinan said he and others like him remain anxious. “This is the only source of income we have and we depend on it,” he said. “Anything that affects the viability of the farm affects not just my income, but my son’s income going forward. That’s why we want to see Eamon Ryan here. We are being snubbed, and they hope if they ignore us long enough we will go away — but we won’t go away.”

Another farmer, Pat O’Brien, from Corndarragh, feels those he has met do not have the authority to give the assurances being sought by farmers.

Bord na Móna said hydrological risk assessments are undertaken for each bog, which assesses potential impacts of re-wetting, including the risk of flooding to nearby lands. Where risks are identified, it adjusts plans. A team has been tasked with monitoring and maintaining boundary drains.

​Mr McCormack said Mr Ryan was unwilling to engage with farmers on the issue.

“We thought it important for the cabinet minister with direct political responsibility for this massive undertaking to make himself available to the communities most directly affected,” he said. “It seems overwhelmingly likely to us that if the State is not willing to guarantee to make good the damage that its actions will almost certainly cause, then legal options will have to be looked at by individual farmers concerned or by the wider communities.”

A spokesman for the minister said Mr Ryan was assured Bord na Móna was making great efforts to ensure its plans have “a minimal impact on neighbouring lands”.

“Eamon Ryan has made a point of travelling to as many parts of the country as possible to get feedback on the measures that are being taken to reduce Ireland’s emissions and restore nature in a way that will support incomes, create jobs and improve quality of life,” the spokesman said.

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