A HEATED DÁIL row broke out this week between Taoiseach Micheál Martin and Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae, over the Taoiseach’s plans for the number of cattle in Ireland and carbon emissions.Later on, during Leaders Questions, Healy-Rae made another contribution saying :
Before we progress, it’s worth stating that the phrase ‘national herd’ refers is a collective term for all the individual privately-owned cattle herds around the country. The Government’s position is that we want to stabilise the national herd, we all have to make an added contribution to cutting carbon emissions, be it transport, be it agriculture and be it industry. Agriland has a piece reporting on the same event: ‘Carbon targets ‘will be challenging’ for agriculture – Taoiseach’.
Clearly, none of the articles contain quotes amounting to the Taoiseach stating he was in favour of reducing the national herd. In recent months, this has shifted to comments about ‘stabilising’ the number of cattle in Ireland, from both the Taoiseach and the Agriculture Minister. But if Micheál Martin had said explicitly he was in favour of reducing the herd, it’s fair to say it would have been massive news in the sector.
I’m certainly in favour of reducing the Healy-Rae’s in politics. They produce more methane than the National herd.
Why do we keep referring to the ‘national herd’ as if privately owned cattle are a collective national asset we all have a stake in?
Starting with the Healy-Rae’s?
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