THE controversial EU Nature Restoration Law (NRL) which was passed by the European Parliament on Tuesday could have major implications for farmers across the West of Ireland, it was warned this week.

Roscommon-Galway TD, Michael Fitzmaurice, who is now a member of the new Independent Ireland party, said in a statement issued ahead of the European Parliament vote that ‘this badly formed law would decimate the term family farm’ along the western seaboard and the Midlands.

He had called on all of Ireland’s 13 MEPs to vote against the law – in the end, 11 out of 13 Irish MEPs voted for the new law with only two opposing (Luke Ming Flanagan and Christ McManus).

“After this vote, what we will be witnessing in Ireland will be one of the greatest land grabs by a foreign power through legislation, destroying our children’s future,” said Deputy Fitzmaurice.

Following the passing of the law in the European Parliament by 324 votes to 275 – a margin of 49 votes with 24 abstentions – IFA President, Francie Gorman. said that a vacuum of information still existed over the new law.

He said that the reality of Tuesday’s vote was that less than 50% of the entire European Parliament voted for the new legislation which reflected the genuine concerns that had been raised over the NRL.

“Farmers are doing more to support nature than any other sector of society. 12-14% of the space on our farms is ‘space for nature’. While there have been some important changes to the Commission version of the NRL, the law is still flawed.

Pictured: Francie Gorman: Serious concerns.