A Kerry TD has accused President Michael D Higgins of “over-stepping his role” by getting involved in the climate action debate.
Deputy Danny Healy-Rae said the president seemed to be advising people to eat more plant-based food and change their diet when he attended the National Ploughing Championships in Ratheniska, Co Laois on Tuesday.
“Farmers in Ireland are producing the very best beef, lamb and pork in the world.
“It is a bit rich of both the president and Tánaiste Micheál Martin, being concerned about a shortage of global food security,” Deputy Healy-Rae said.
“Who do they think they are codding?” he asked.
President Higgins predicted that there will be big changes in diet arising from climate change and cost of living pressures.
“Everybody is going to have to change,” he said.
“There is no doubt whatsoever I think that you are going to see big changes in diet,” President Higgins said.
He added that if farming families are moving into a different direction with new responsibilities there has to be compensation for it.
“I encourage our farmers to continue on the path of change, transcend difficulties by designing strategies of implementation, and lead the way in adopting sustainable practices that can be demonstrated as successes to the farming community, ones that safeguard our environment,” President Higgins remarked.
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