Seanad discussions continue on compensation for sector after Irish mink farming ban

The legislation provides that the three farms are compensated for income losses, non-income losses, and costs incurred as a direct result of the fur farming ban

Around 35 people in Donegal, Kerry and Laois are employed in the Irish mink farming industry.

Legislation to prohibit fur farming in Ireland has proved challenging.

Started in early November, the law-making process is still being considered by Senators, who last week resisted pressure from Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue who said the mink farm breeding season is due to start and the onus was on him to engage with the country’s three farmers, to bring fur farming to a conclusion.

The legislation provides that the three businesses are paid compensation for income losses, non-income losses, and costs incurred as a direct result of the fur farming ban.

Regina Doherty, Leader of Seanad Éireann, said the two weeks' statutory redundancy offered for the 35 or so people who earn their living working on the mink farms does not sit well with senators.

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She added: “We have people who have spent millions of their own euros investing in and improving their farms because the State and the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine made them do so over recent years, and they are going to get absolutely zero compensation.” 

Senator Victor Boyhan said: “It is fundamentally wrong when the Government issues a decree to close down any legitimate, legal business that is operating within the law and complying with the requirements of commercial life, paying income tax and appropriate fees.” 

He called for a negotiated settlement with the mink farmers.

Senator Tim Lombard said: “We spoke about a just transition when it comes to other issues, and a whole-of-government approach, but it appears we had not joined up the dots on a just transition for the 35 workers involved in the sector."

“For the Department’s proposal to cover only statutory redundancy seems to me to be a mistake”, said Senator Ollie Crowe.

“Please engage with these people to ensure they can move on with their lives and to ensure those words 'just transition' have real meaning,” said Senator Paul Gavan.

Senator Pat Casey said: “We do not know what sector might be closed in another 15 or 20 years. I want to speak about people in family businesses, and who have spent the past 30 years building up those businesses”.

“Anyone from a rural area knows how difficult it is to get planning permission for a one-off house, never mind for an industry. What will we substitute this industry with?” Senator Lynn Boylan said.

“If we are to fall now at the first hurdle, which is with a handful of workers, when it comes to the scale of change the State is facing in reaching our carbon emission targets, I am not just concerned for the workers we are speaking about today, and for the farmers in the Chamber, but also I am very concerned we are going to lose the public on this.”

Senators have also objected to the compensation offered being based on the three farms’ past five years of business, pointing out this included two of the worst years experienced in the business.

Minister McConalogue said: “We have to have a verifiable process and evidential system for making decisions on what is appropriate compensation for the farmers and what is appropriate expenditure on behalf of the State.”

The country’s three mink farms are at Waterville, Co. Kerry; Stradbally, Co. Laois; and Glenties, Co. Donegal.