DUP: Muir's climate plans an 'extraordinary financial burden' on both the public purse and industry
The environment minister’s plans to meet climate targets set by the Assembly will create an extraordinary financial burden on both the public purse and industry – and show he has learned nothing from NAP debacle, the DUP deputy leader has said.
Michelle McIlveen MLA has warned that the proposals in the draft Climate Action Plan consultation are unrealistic and would inflict serious harm on Northern Ireland’s agri-food sector.
Ms McIlveen said: “While the DUP supports measures that strike a fair balance between environmental responsibility and economic sustainability, what is being proposed by Minister Muir lacks both clarity and a grounding in realism.
“The estimated cost of the plan is over £1 billion between now and 2027 – an extraordinary financial burden on both the public purse and industry. More concerning still is DAERA’s suggestion that the plan will be ‘financially neutral’ – a claim made with little supporting evidence or breakdown of anticipated savings.
“As we have come to expect from Minister Muir, agriculture is treated as an afterthought. The capital cost of the measures impacting sector is estimated to be £70m, with no clear indication of who will bear the cost of the proposed changes. Farmers should be in no doubt that this is livestock reduction by stealth. The proposals include reducing the age at first calving, shortening calving intervals, increasing the proportion of beef cattle finished as young bulls, and reducing emissions through alternative fertilisers, methane-suppressing feed, and phosphorus-lite diets. These measures will be of serious concern to farmers – particularly as many go beyond the existing beef sustainability package”.
She said DAERA’s own projections show the draft plan would result in a reduction of 81,000 beef cattle and 25,000 dairy cattle by 2027 – adding that the minister “appears to have learned nothing from the Nutrients Action Programme debacle”.
“DAERA’s focus should be on sustainable food production, a fair transition, and evidence-led policymaking – not a rushed consultation driven by fear of legal challenge”, the DUP agricultrure spokesperson said.