Irish farmers "will not accept" Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) funding being used to cover the needs of the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) according to one farming organisation.

The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association (ICMSA) said farmers want CAP funding to "focus on farming issues".

According to the president of the ICMSA, Denis Drennan, "under no circumstances should CAP funding be diverted to the NRL".

Speaking following a meeting with the Minister of State with responsibility for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan, the ICMSA president said the organisation expects the government "to keep their word" on previous NRL promises.

Drennan said the government had given a commitment that the Nature Restoration Law would be "voluntary on private land".

Nature Restoration Law

The ICMSA president believes that the "onus is very much on the state to come forward with the funds and lands" in relation to the Nature Restoration Law.

"After that can we look at the intentions of private landowners who might want to voluntarily participate in the any of the actions involved," Drennan added.

Minister O’Sullivan has stated that in relation to targets set out in NRL, which came into force in August 2024, "all aspects of nature restoration, including rewetting is and always has been voluntary".

The minister previously told Agriland: "There is no obligation within the Nature Restoration Regulation for farmers and private landowners to rewet their lands".

"There is capacity within state-owned lands to meet the targets," the minister said in October last year.

ICMSA

However the ICMSA president said during the organisation's recent meeting with Minister O'Sullivan that detailed discussions had taken place on the question of ‘designated’ land.

Drennan has now called for "a full review of designations" and said that trust must be "rebuilt" between the government agencies and the landowners concerned.

He added: Much damage has been done because of past treatment and arbitrary decisions, but we must focus on the future and that’s going to involve a much more reasonable farmer-focus. 

"At present these lands are devalued because of a historical designation, and it is up to government to ensure that steps can be taken that allow farmers to manage their lands sustainably while surviving economically.

"The whole designated areas system needs a full reset”, Drennan said.