Sargent rejects claims Gormley wants to cull the national herd

CLAIMS that Environment Minister John Gormley is in favour of culling the national herd to reduce methane emissions were strongly rejected at a climate change conference in Dublin Castle yesterday.

Junior Minister Trevor Sargent, delivering the keynote address at the Institute of International and European Affairs conference, said a myth has been peddled claiming Mr Gormley is in favour of such a cattle cull. “This is completely untrue and is a gross disservice to the work Minister Gormley has been doing,” he said.

Mr Sargent said Mr Gormley is the lead minister on this issue and that he achieved flexibility in the European climate change deal before Christmas to ensure Ireland did not face higher costs of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and would not be forced to reduce its national herd.