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A FINE GAEL TD who appeared on an RTÉ radio show today accused the national broadcaster of having a bias against the beef exports industry in Ireland via its coverage of the issue, leading to another guest accusing him of being a climate change denier, which he roundly denied.
Colm Brophy TD, appeared on Today with Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio One earlier today to talk about Ireland’s efforts to combat climate change, and to reach its net zero targets, while the Government is also pursuing policies including boosting the country’s aviation sector and beef exports around the world.
Tánaiste Michéal Martin has flown to China to represent Ireland’s beef industry there, after a recent trip by several ministers to South Korea to also boost beef exports, which was widely covered by media.
The Dublin South-West TD was defending the Government’s policies on meeting net zero targets, and promoting the beef industry when Byrne told him: “It feels like you’re saying we’ll let the Greens get on with net zero, but we’ll drive on with getting more passengers into Dublin Airport and getting more beef sold around the world.”
“There is a balance,” Brophy said in reply, “Aviation has to recognise that it has to do more to contribute towards emission reduction,” he added.
Brophy went on to say that some Irish airlines are willing to participate “fully in that”, but that the Government also must recognise that “we have to live in a real world, where people want to use airplanes.
He also pointed out that Ireland is a “small island nation”, which Byrne insisted is a “hackneyed argument” which implies: “Why would we be addressing our emissions when they’re pumping them out in China”.
Brophy then said: “Be honest, I know RTÉ has been advocating for shutting down Irish farmers and closing down Irish beef”.
Byrne – who was audibly outraged by the comment – said: “I’m not letting that go. That is not true, and that is not fair”.
“It is important to recognise when somebody says – and I firmly believe that we need to reduce our emissions and do so in a controlled way, and also have a trade policy – that it is not fair to say, well, that’s a hackneyed argument,” Brophy insisted.
Byrne asked Brophy if he would be “happy to retract what you said about RTÉ”, to which Brophy said he would be, if RTÉ also acknowledged that it is not fair to say “it is hackneyed” to “want a balance”.
Later in the programme she said that RTÉ has an obligation to report “impartially” which it takes seriously, and stated that the overwhelming scientific consensus is that climate change is a growing problem which requires “radical action”.
Brophy said that it would be unfair for Irish farmers and beef producers to be disproportionately impacted by the Government’s net zero commitments.
Byrne said that this is not what is happening, and that in fact, the Government is trying to “increase our sales of beef”. Brophy then insisted we are trying to achieve boosted beef sales “in the most environmentally friendly way”.
Brophy said that if Ireland was not exporting beef at the level it currently is, the demand would still be there for the product, and other countries would be producing it in a way that would cause greater harm to the environment.
He doubled down in saying that “you can be strong” on supporting Irish aviation, trade, tourism and the beef industry, while working towards “emissions reduction”.
“You don’t have to be closing down those sectors or restricting them or killing them off,” Brophy added.
Labour TD Aodhán Ó Ríordáin, who also appeared as a guest on the show, said he was “outraged by the presentation that’s been given by a Government representative”.
“I came into the studio pretty depressed about the week we’ve had. I thought that we would have some semblance of understanding and a collective agreement on the nature of climate breakdown.
“What you’ve said is that the public broadcaster, the national public broadcaster, has a bias against the beef industry, that’s effectively what you’ve said.
“You cannot, as a Government representative, go down to places like Cork and Waterford that are underwater and not join the dots and make a cogent argument about the fact that we’re in the middle of climate breakdown,” he added.
When it was suggested to Brophy that what he had said on the programme amounted to the views of someone who is a “climate change denier”, he said that he found the suggestion “beyond offensive,” and denied it entirely.
The Journal has contacted Brophy for clarification on his comments about RTÉ.
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What a load of BS, this is a financial issue for the organiser that couldn’t care less about environmental impact, cheap tents (and other camping gear) are barely usable first time round let alone be reusable…. Whether binned by the organisers or by people at home the net result is the same… All that changes is ultimately who is paying for the service
@Jayo Breathneach: Exactly, it’s just littering on an epic scale
@Jayo Breathneach: completely agree, but an organisation dodging financial responsibility while trying to claim they are being environmentally conscious isnt helping the actual environmental issue.
Every person that leaves gear behind was seen to do so by a number of other people. Let festival goers police themselves and ultimately either pay more for their tickets to cover the financial burden, or lose their festival if they fail to do so.
At the very least have gardai/litter wardens on duty the final morning issuing fines for illegal dumping.
Take the financial and convenience benefits away from cheap gear and it becomes a less attractive option nudging people towards better quality gear that they can use for years, thereby contributing towards improving both problems
@Ian: B&S operate a green camping zone where sustainable and litter-free camping is encouraged and policed, it’s a much nicer environment to stay in and the people there are really good about leaving the place spotless. It’s free to stay there too, that’s where I camp each year.
@Ian: There’s a bigger issue here, it’s not the festival organisers or Garda etc responsibility to police such behaviour, nor can you directly blame the public. Yes the public are more lazy, but we live in and have created a throw away culture. As a result of everything we buy becoming cheaper and more disposable. Not just with tents but with other products that pollute the environment. Maybe there should be higher levels of Tax on lower quality products. The “Tesco tent” being a prime example, why should the responsibility not be on the producer/seller of the product. There should be some kind of benchmark pricing structure on certain consumables. Tents, Plastics, etc.. Not sure how that is implemented, but consumers should be encouraged to purchase products that have a longer life span, at the point of purchase. An extension of the plastic bag Tax on other products, encourages both the consumer and the seller to go for more quality/long life products Change peoples purchasing habits and you’ll change the world, Quality over price. If consumers have to be more discerning in their purchasing habits, then less waste is created.
They should have a tent station at exits for people who don’t want to take them home pack them up leave them a the tent station and they can then be donated to homeless charities throughout the country
@Richard Slattery: homeless charities? Seriously, do you think some priveliged kids second hand mouldy €20 tent can be used to house the homeless? Christ almighty. The condescension is reeking.
@Richard Slattery: the problem is that people aren’t bothered about packing them up ..
@yelkcub: he didn’t say use it to house the homeless .. and is it only privileged kuds that go to festivals ??
@Suzie Sunshine: * kids
@yelkcub: I think it could help out in the short term I don’t see them as a housing solution and never stated so and as for privileged kids at festivals I’ve been to many and I am far from privleged so not sure what your point is there …. And as for the reek of condescension I suggest get that checked out by a doctor
@yelkcub: Scouting Ireland volunteers used to spend half of the Monday after Oxegen harvesting salvageable tents and camping gear to donate to A) less well off scout groups and B) refugee camps around the world. The only thing that’s changed is that tesco, argos and halfords all do cheap disposable tents now that are no good to anyone.
Problem is with mindset. Take for example eating in McDonalds. In other countries you tidy up after yourself out of courtesy. Here in Ireland I’m told that “I’m keeping people out of a job” when I tidy up behind me.
@Kimmixa:
Ive never been told that, I’ve always cleaned up after myself using fast food restaurants (supermacs, KFC, Mc Donald’s).
@Kimmixa: people who say that are only using it as an excuse to be lazy and not clean up after themselves. …
@Suzie Sunshine: And don’t work I bet !!!
I’ve seen a few people incinerate them fairly handily before heading home from any festival.
@Mark O’Connor:
And I reckon if someone had burped at that particular time they could have incinerated themselves as well with all the fumes been let off.
I don’t get why you’d leave your tent behind. Would you leave your clothes and other possessions too? I used to have a much beloved festival that went with me everywhere. Well, mostly Metal festivals in Germany. I had to give it away when I moved countries but made sure I gave it a good home.
@Rui Firmino: most people with a decent tent wouldn’t even dream of leaving it. Problem really lies with cheap single skin tents that are sold as disposable
Sometimes on Monday morning after a festival I like to wrap myself in my tent and pretend I’m a slug
@Richard Slattery: I think the homeless of Ireland might prefer a home in a house, not a tent from someone too lazy to dispose of it themselves.
@Janet Healy: that’s stating the obvious but short of that I know I’d prefer somewhere to keep myself dry and out of the elements instead of sleeping in doorways
@Janet Healy: i expect my dog gave to live in one of those cheap tents let alone a human being
@Ian: *wouldnt
OK here’s an idea maybe get everyone to pack up the tents properly and put them in a big truck at the entrance and send them away to poor countries!
@Linda Hughes: Scouting Ireland used to do that at festivals (I worked Oxegen and EP 2007-2009) but the problem is the tents now are cheap single use ones that can’t be salvaged more often than not
Yes, tents at festivals is the issue. All tents ever will need to be disposed of at some point, starting from that point would be helpful. A much bigger problem is single use coffee cups. Millions used every day in this country and the overwhelming majority are not recyclable or biodegradable.
@Dave O Keeffe: back on the pile – Randy
Ian and Linda. The issue is that the lazy bums that don’t bring the tents home will also not take them down. The tents aren’t dismantled and then left behind, they are just abandoned… the stations would just see empty handed people walk past and see a field full of tents
@Karel Lootens: not sure what stations I have proposed? Unless there’s another Ian you referring to.
My solutions are load everybody’s tickets of cleaning the previous years campground and let the people police themselves, OR, if you check in to festival and are not carrying a tent you get a wristband, if you go to leave not carrying a tent and don’t have a wrist band you get an instant on the spot fine/summons for illegal dumping
@Ian: that’s actually a good idea ..
For these initiatives to work you must make it easy for people. Provide recepticals and visuals and incentives. Charge an extra 10euro for every ticket if you need to set up the correct provisions/litter stewards.
@Sarah Ennis: it’s all ready 250+ to attend electric picnic, to stay in a cabin instead of a tent it’s another 400. Considering I can get 5 nights in new York for 599 it’s hard to justify making festivals more expensive
Here’s a better idea, fund and promote the use and refining of biodegradable plastic.
Some people just dont give a shit. I always bring everything home with me. Over 12,000 scouts attended jamboree in Punchestown 2008 – not one scrap was left behind.
Bleeding hippy’s…..
I have 3 tents, 4 sleeping bags, an inflatable Vango mat and a few other bits that are all abandoned festival gear. If you’re going to ditch it at least leave it in good nick so someone else can reuse it if you won’t!
Why not charge a tent deposit, refundable on exit once it is confirmed you are leaving with your tent. Uncollected tent deposits would cover the cost. There won’t be many tents left behind then.
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