Greenhouse gas tax on farmers would harm, not help, environment

THERE is simply no scope for additional taxes on the farming sector, as was proposed by the Citizens’ Assembly findings on Ireland’s contribution to tackling climate change.

This is the view of farmer and member of Galway Co Council Cllr Peter Feeney, who farms near Athenry.
Cllr Feeney told The Tuam Herald that he welcomed the fact that the Citizen’ Assembly were debating this important issue and he didn’t want to be part of any knee-jerk reaction to their findings.
However, he argues that the proposal that the farming sector should be taxed on the greenhouse gases produced, which has been roundly critisised by farming organizations such as the IFA, seem to have been based on questionable data and there is an element of naivety involved.
“This is not a local problem, it’s a global one,” he argues. “We can make ourselves feel good by coming up with proposals to tax farmers but will this have any impact on the problem? I very much doubt it.”

Read more in this week's edition of The Tuam Herald