Cork councillor brands minister 'a fool' for criticising FG MEPs who voted for Nature Restoration Law

Patrick O'Donovan insisted he was not a climate-denier or opposed to nature restoration, but he said the new law and its implications, had not been properly debated. File picture: Denis Minihane

A senior Green Party figure has branded Fine Gael minister Patrick O’Donovan “a fool” for criticising his own party’s MEPs who voted for the landmark EU Nature Restoration Law.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Cork City councillor Dan Boyle, who helped to negotiate his party's programme for government with Fianna Fáil in 2007, said: “This man is a fool and he should be nowhere near the Office of Public Works (OPW).” 

It followed the OPW Minister's claim that the legislation, which is designed to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030 and all ecosystems by 2050, will have implications for the delivery of already-delayed flood defence projects here, and for those living in one-off houses.

The law was finally approved in the European Parliament on Tuesday after two years of debate. 

Despite Fine Gael’s EU political grouping, the European People’s Party, opposing the law, Fine Gael’s five MEPs broke ranks and were among 12 of Ireland’s of 14 MEPs who voted for the bill.

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In a radio interview with Jerry O’Sullivan’s Kerry Today show on Radio Kerry, Mr O’Donovan, whose department oversees the delivery of flood defences, said he was “disappointed” at the stance taken by his own party’s MEPs on the legislation.

“I am disappointed to put it mildly that while the European People’s Party as a bloc wanted to vote against this, because they believed there was another day to be had, as it were, that most of Ireland’s MEPs voted for it,” he said.

Anywhere in the country I can take you to places where we have schemes that are bogged down in environmental restrictions and regulation, where it's clear that the preference and priority is to protect the habitat over protecting people’s houses.

The Limerick TD insisted he was not a climate-denier or opposed to nature restoration, but he said the new law and its implications, had not been properly debated. He said that the commitment to restore habitats means flood relief schemes will be held up, and he cited how otters in the River Bride have delayed the Blackpool flood relief scheme in Cork City.

“If anyone tells me that this is going to come without consequences and it’s just public land, that’s just not true,” he said. “There isn’t a perch of land in this country that’s owned by the State that doesn’t have within an ass’s roar of it a private one-off house.” 

Green Party minister, Pippa Hackett, the Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, also criticised her Cabinet colleague’s views as “unhelpful, and wholly inconsistent with agreed Government position”.

Mr O’Donovan said he was disappointed at Mr Boyle’s comments.

“I think it's disappointing, to say the very least, to see experienced politicians descend to name-calling and personalised attacks on people with whom they have a different opinion. That's not how a democracy is supposed to function.

“At a time when politicians of all parties and none are experiencing huge levels of online and personal abuse, I think commentary like this directed at other public representatives only serves to add to the level of toxicity in politics," he said.

Sinn Féin split

Meanwhile, a split has also emerged in Sinn Féin over the nature restoration bill after its MEP Chris MacManus, of Midlands/North West, voted against it, while Senator Lynn Ruane, the party’s European candidate in Dublin, supports it.

Green MEP Ciaran Cuffe said: “Sinn Féin have to come clean about what they stand for. They can’t be standing up for nature in Dublin and standing against it in rural Ireland.”

But the party said it rejected the law because key concerns of farmers had not been met.

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In a statement, Mr MacManus said Sinn Féin wanted "clarity and assurances" on long-term permanent funding as a source of income for farmers, fishers, foresters and others for dedicated nature restoration. 

"We voted in favour of the law in the July plenary session in the hope that during the negotiations that small farmers, particularly along the west and northwest of Ireland, would not have to bear the heaviest burden. Unfortunately, this did not materialise," he said. 

"We in Sinn Féin must now make sure that the consultation process on the national restoration plans will address these key issues, so we can ensure the viability of long-term farming, funding and the environment."