‘It has been a long road to reality for many assembly members’ - Irwin

The amendment to the executive’s Climate Change Bill was brought by Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots.

Newry and Armagh DUP assemblyman, William Irwin MLA, lamented the fact members had “prolonged the agony” for the farming community with positions and public commentary that were “contrary” to the final support for the minister’s amendment in the assembly on Monday.

Speaking after the debate in the chamber this week, Mr Irwin said: “I have spoken to many farmers for many months on this highly charged issue and I can say, with some authority, this matter was one that greatly exercised them, worried them and created a great deal of stress throughout the farming community. Given what is such an important issue, it has not been helped by the fact that political competition has been a major source of frustration.

“Parties have sought, wrongly in my view, to ‘out-green’ each other, all the while ignoring the science and expert advice, and also ignoring the voice of the communities they claim to represent. It has been a long road to reality for many assembly members.”

He added: “As a voice for the farmer, I pride myself on listening and then transferring the views that are presented to me by the farming community and representative organisations to the assembly and feed my views in to the decision making process.

“The fact that it has taken to the eleventh hour for some people to see sense on this issue is concerning.”

Mr Irwin said the amendment, tabled by Minister Poots, is “astute and important” in terms of charting a course through the “very divisive issue this has become”.

“I believe there is now a realisation amongst other parties that we must get this legislation correct,” he continued.

“We have to get to the point where we can have climate targets that are achievable and that we also ensure that our food security of supply is strengthened by ensuring we do not decimate our agri-food industry.

“It will be lost on no one the renewed importance of food supply security with what is now happening in Ukraine, and the immense knock-on effects of this destabilising and bloody invasion.

“We can already see the growing impact on the people of Ukraine, which is highly worrying, and we can see the impact on energy prices which are rising at very rapid rates on a daily basis.

“The impact of this invasion by Russia will be felt globally and decisions taken by this assembly must be made with a firm focus on food supply security,” Mr Irwin concluded.