Eoghan Daltun: Irish nature is wrecked — we need a plan to bring back what we've lost

We have turned almost the whole of Ireland into one big farm, and nature has paid an exorbitant price

Irish nature is wrecked... but blaming farmers is not only wrong, it gets us absolutely nowhere. The land is their livelihood

An often highly toxic, and very damaging, atmosphere has been allowed to develop — fostered even — in Ireland around questions relating to farming, the state of nature, and our countryside in general. It’s in all our interests to reject it, and here’s why.

First off, let’s not kid ourselves regarding Irish nature. It’s wrecked. You may not believe that when you look out your window and see the blue tits and robins at the garden feeder, and the green grass beyond. But it’s true: all the scientific data confirms it. Species diversity, abundance, and health are all falling fast, and the same goes for what little we have left of habitats and ecosystems.