News

Exporting massive volumes of ‘milk’ powders to West Africa is harming economic and health outcomes in the region, as well as our own climate and sustainability goals, according to Social Democrats foreign affairs spokesperson Patricia Stephenson. Senator Stephenson said: “It’s not appropriate for over a quarter of a million euro of taxpayer funds to be […]

Farmers and rural communities must not be led off a cliff by a government that refuses to plan for contingencies Government needs a ‘plan B’ for farmers if their attempts to secure an extension of the nitrates derogation fail, according to Social Democrats Agriculture spokesperson Jennifer Whitmore. “There has been confirmation today that it will […]

The latest consumer watchdog probe into grocery prices must have teeth, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Speaking ahead of the party’s motion on supermarket transparency this Wednesday, Deputy Whitmore said: “The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission has re-opened a probe into grocery prices, but the government has failed to give it requisite powers […]

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore has criticised the Department of Agriculture for ongoing delays to ACRES (Agri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme) payments for 2024. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on agriculture, said: “Nationally, there are 2,961 farmers waiting for their 2024 advance, with 8,315 waiting for any payment at all. “In my own Wicklow […]

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore has called on the Minister for Agriculture to come up with an eradication plan for bovine tuberculosis (bTB) that does not involve the culling of badgers. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on agriculture, said: “A recent investigation by the Journal found that of the 10,301 badgers culled in […]

The government must address the barriers that contribute to the underrepresentation of women in farming, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on agriculture, was speaking ahead of an event celebrating Irish Women in Farming, which will be jointly hosted tomorrow (Tuesday, March 4) by the European Commission […]

Greyhound racing must be defunded and ultimately banned during the lifetime of this government, according to Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s spokesperson on agriculture, said: “For years, the Social Democrats have been calling for the phasing out of annual State funding to the greyhound industry, which was allocated almost […]

Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore has called on the Government to provide urgent financial supports to the horticulture sector in the wake of Storm Éowyn. Deputy Whitmore, who is the party’s agriculture spokesperson, said: “Given the importance of our horticulture sector, it is unacceptable that there has been no real discussion about how it has […]

Irish farmers should not be forced to compete with farmers in other countries who are subject to much lower health and environmental standards The outgoing government parties are sleepwalking the country into ratification of the Mercosur deal – which would be disastrous for both agriculture and the environment, according to Social Democrats Climate Spokesperson Jennifer […]

The Agriculture Minister must act on cruelty inflicted on calves in the dairy sector, according to Social Democrats leader Holly Cairns. Deputy Cairns, the party’s spokesperson on agriculture, was commenting on an RTÉ investigation into cruelty and mistreatment inflicted on calves in the dairy sector. “This Minister has been asleep at the wheel while gross […]