Radical politics in Ireland would really mean something if the new Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Marine held a vegetarian or vegan dietary preference.

An agriculture minister with a non-meat, dairy or animal by-products lifestyle would be a blast of clean air in a department infused with the pinguid aroma of animal death.

[colored_box color="green"]Industrial food production is writing its own paragraph in the death warrant being drawn up for our planet.[/colored_box]

Ireland with its animal intensive farming and the resultant destructive environmental hoof print is adding words to the text.

‘Re-calibrate the focus of Ireland’s food production’

A humane minister for agriculture could re-calibrate the focus of Ireland’s food production towards a plant-based regime while reducing or eliminating animal-centred food production.

The existence of a myriad of vegan diets, sound in nutrition and health affirming benefits, shows that humane food consumption is possible.

Meat vs. vegan diet

A diet based on meat and animal by-products is being flayed as unhealthy, environmentally destructive, and leaking into the violent culture so prevalent in society today.

Should the Taoiseach retain the status quo by appointing a minister for agriculture vulnerable to capture by special interests then there is merit in saying that Ireland via its politicians is digging its environmental grave with a bloody knife and fork.

From John Tierney, Co. Waterford