Economy can’t come before enviroment, says Labour

Labour TD Ciaran Ahern has responded to a damning report from the European Environment Agency (EEA), which found Ireland’s natural environment is in “very poor condition”.

The report highlighted that 85% of protected habitats and almost one third of protected species have an unfavourable status, while excessive car dependency and unsustainable farming practices are placing huge pressure on the environment.

The Dublin South-West TD said that “urgent” action is required, including the introduction of an annual carbon budget alongside the annual fiscal budget.

He said that the findings of the EPA report “are nothing short of shocking.”

“It paints a grim picture of the state of Ireland’s natural environment, showing that despite some progress in public transport usage, our excessive car dependency continues to do untold damage. At the same time, our model of agriculture and food production is simply environmentally unsustainable in its current form,” he said.

“It is particularly alarming that 85% of Ireland’s protected habitats and almost one third of protected species are in unfavourable condition. This means our flora and fauna are in serious decline. To see our natural heritage under such pressure is devastating, and it demands immediate intervention.”

The Labour environment spokesperson said, “the report is clear: while our economy has prospered, this success has been heavily dependent on environmental resources. That dependency is deeply concerning. It is not acceptable for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael to point to economic growth while ignoring the ecological destruction that underpins it. Prosperity cannot come at the expense of our environment.”

“We also cannot ignore the state of our water quality. Labour has been championing the protection of Lady’s Island Lake and the River Blackwater, both now under investigation by the Climate Committee. These are just two examples of Ireland’s natural treasures being put at risk by Government failure.

He said it is “deeply disappointing” that the government is also putting public transport on the back foot in this term, after it was such a focus of the last government.

With the Greens swapped out for independents, Ahern said the government has reverted back to road building rather than investing at the scale needed in sustainable, affordable, accessible public transport.

“We know more roads will not solve our problems — it only locks us into more car dependency and higher emissions.”

“Labour has long called for scaled-up investment in water, energy, transport and waste management. We have also been consistent in calling for an annual carbon budget, to be debated and scrutinised alongside the annual fiscal budget. Our environmental challenges must be treated with the same urgency as our economic challenges. Without this, Ireland will continue to drift further from our climate targets.”

“Yet, as Budget 2026 approaches, we see more kites being flown about tax cuts and short-term giveaways than about real investment in climate action. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael appear less concerned with the environment, happy to be propped up by climate-denying independents. And now, Government have overturned the ban on importing fracked gas and opened the door to new commercial fossil fuel infrastructure being built at a time we should be doing the exact opposite. It’s a retrograde, deeply concerning decision that takes us in entirely the wrong direction.

“Our natural environment is in crisis. The Government must step up with urgent, systemic action – not token gestures – to safeguard Ireland’s habitats, species and future generations. We cannot continue to allow short-term politics to destroy our long-term future.”