The chair of the Independent Advisory Committee on Nature Restoration (IAC) Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin said she is "disappointed and surprised" that a farm organisation has withdrawn its support from the committee.

The Irish Natura and Hill Farmers' Association (INHFA) today (Friday, March 20) formally requested the removal of its name, and the names of its representatives, from the committee's final report.

The IAC presented its recommendations on Ireland's Nature Restoration Plan to Minister of State for nature Christopher O'Sullivan this week.

The INHFA is one of the members of the committee which has been working on its recommendations for the past 15 months.

However, INHFA president Pheilim Molloy has claimed that the suggestion that implementing the Nature Restoration Law would be voluntary for farmers "is simply untrue".

He claimed that farmers whose holdings include certain types of habitats will be subject to significant obligations under the law.

He also said that the absence of "any confirmed or dedicated funding" at this stage to support the implementation of the Nature Restoration Law is a "fundamental flaw".

INHFA

In a statement issued to Agriland, Dr Aoibhinn Ní Shúilleabháin, chair of the Independent Advisory Committee on Nature Restoration (IAC), said:

"I am very disappointed and surprised to read of the INHFA’s retrospective withdrawal of support from the report and recommendations of the Independent Advisory Committee on Nature Restoration.

"The report and recommendations were agreed by consensus by all members of the committee, with multiple drafts and edits considered over the past few months".

Dr Ní Shúilleabháin said the INHFA engaged "constructively and collaboratively" with all meetings of the committee since January 2025 and "were very ably represented by Colm O’Donnell and Vincent Roddy".

"These issues were discussed at length in the committee and were brought up with the minister in his engagements with the committee.

"The report thoroughly and comprehensively addresses these concerns," she said.

Committee

Dr Ní Shúilleabháin said she is very proud of the work achieved by all members of the committee.

She added that she is "grateful to them for the collaboration, collegiality and respect they brought to meetings in order to reach agreement across the various stakeholder perspectives".

The report has now gone to Minister Christopher O’Sullivan for consideration.

"Given the consensus achieved within the committee and reflecting the extensive public and stakeholder engagement undertaken to inform the recommendations, I hope the minister and his colleagues across government can give serious consideration to our recommendations," Dr Ní Shúilleabháin said.

She added that those recommendations include that any Nature Restoration Plan is adequately funded, that action is prioritised on public lands, and that farmers, fishermen and foresters are supported and incentivised to volunteer to take part.