'It's fine for him writing poetry, hardworking people need meat': Healy-Rae hits out at Michael D

'Who do they think they are codding?' — Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae launches broadside against the President and the Tánaiste about climate change

Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae lashed out at Michael D Higgins' speech at the Ploughing Championships urging farmers and citizens to 'play their part' in tackling climate change. File picture: Leah Farrell/RollingNews

It is fine for a poetry writing president to have a non-meat diet, but hardworking people need protein, Kerry TD Danny Healy-Rae has said. 

Mr Healy-Rae was responding to remarks by President Michael D Higgins at the Ploughing Championships earlier this week, during which he called on Irish farmers and ordinary citizens to "play their part" in helping to tackle climate change. 

In a wide-ranging speech at the event, President Higgins spoke on a variety of topics including global food security and famine, conflict resolution, migration and the need for “deeper changes” 

President Higgins also criticised market-led farming and the food production industry in Europe, and said the world was "going to see big changes in diet" as a result of climate change.

President Higgins said the world was at a “point of multiple crises” and that the efforts of all citizens would be required to address biodiversity loss and climate change.

“Change isn’t easy. It will not be easy and I encourage our farmers to continue on the path to change. Transcending difficulties by designing alternatives,” he said.

Mr Higgins also said that United Nations (UN) was "failing" and "losing credibility" because it has been unable to prevent conflicts and manage crises.

On Tuesday, Tánaiste Micheál Martin, who is attending the UN general assembly in New York this week, defended the organisation. He also said that President Higgins was "passionate about global affairs". 

"The challenges are enormous right now, they would be far, far worse without United Nations," he told reporters. 

"The President is passionate about global affairs and has been passionate about global hunger and he has led well, in respect of these issues," he said. 

President Michael D Higgins meeting competitors at the National Ploughing Championships. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

In a statement this evening, Mr Healy-Rae accused the President of "overstepping his role as president by getting involved in the climate action debate where he is advising people to eat more plant-based food and change their diet." 

Mr Healy-Rae said Irish farmers were producing "the very best beef, lamb and pork in the world."

"It is a bit rich of both the president and Micheál Martin being concerned about a shortage of global food security when both of them are trying to cut food production in Ireland. 

"Who do they think they are codding?" he asked.

Adding to his statement, Mr Healy-Rae said:

It's fine for him [President Higgins] writing poetry and fancy speeches, but people who have to work hard need meat.

He said truck drivers, farmers and most hardworking people needed pork, beef and lamb as well as dairy to perform their tasks.

"The more pressure on them, the more they will have to eat substantial meals," he added.