Commissioner to visit after Mullooly invite
Teresa Ribera, EU Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, has accepted an invitation from Ciaran Mullooly, MEP, to visit this region.
Mr Mullooly met Ms Ribera in Strasbourg and asked her to visit the Shannon region and see first-hand the difficulties caused by flooding and other incidents in recent years.
He said he was “pleased that the commissioner now had a better understanding of the major issues of concern to farmers, caused by the new Nature Restoration Act and previous historical flooding along the River Shannon catchment area.”
Mr Mullooly met with the Save Our Shannon Committee in Athlone in February and pledged to raise their concerns. He has now handed over a letter from the committee seeking EU support to address ongoing threats of thousands of euro in farm earnings, harvesting, and livestock losses caused by serious, annual flooding along the River Shannon.
Mr Mullooly stated: “I am pleased that Commissioner Ribera was in a position to listen to the first-hand stories I presented today of farmers such as Michael Silk from Meelick, County Galway, who have spent the last 30 years campaigning for recognition of the special circumstances that the farmers in this region have to live in.”
Commissioner Ribera told Mr Mullooly she was aware of the issues surrounding the Nature Restoration Act but felt compensation and financial supports must be dealt with in the context of the forthcoming CAP negotiations and the multi-annual funding framework, while stressing the need to support Irish farmers in these difficult situations.
Mr Mullooly also raised his proposal for a new Just Transition Fund for the midlands. Having spoken to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, he emphasised the need to simplify the fund and introduce pre-funding of up to 40% for community groups unable to raise initial funds.
Ms Ribera supported that and will now raise it with Raffaele Fitto, commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms.
Mr Mullooly further highlighted the need for greater EU support for community-led groups in renewable energy projects, enabling citizens to participate and invest in their communities.
He asked how the commissioner could better support such projects, including wind and solar in rural Ireland.
She said that was “protected by legislation and she would now ask the European commissioner for energy, Dan Jørgensen, to ensure that legislation was followed through and engaged in all circumstances within the member states.
Mr Mullooly noted many cases where promoters failed to engage with communities, even when communities wished to co-own wind farm turbines.
Ms Ribera told the midlands MEP she would strongly pursue that, as she supports community engagement in renewable energy.