An Independent TD is hitting out at the European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan for suggesting that farmers in the west should be encouraged to switch from sucklers to forestry or biomass production.
Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice says not all land in the west is suitable for forestry or biomass production.
He says it seems there’s an effort to make the west of Ireland, from Donegal to Clare and out to the River Shannon, the carbon sink for the country.
But he says more forestry and biomass means fewer people, and weaker communities in rural areas.
