New tyre charging regime an unacceptable burden on farming families

IFA Environment Chairperson, Thomas Cooney, has described Minister for  Communications, Climate Action, and Environment, Denis Naughten’s proposal to impose a new charging regime on farmers when they buy tyres for agricultural machinery as an unacceptable cost burden for farm families, and a free pass for tyre manufacturers and distributors.

Mr Cooney said, “The Government’s proposal to force farm families to pay an end user charge allow tyre companies to escape their environmental obligation, as set out in the producer responsibility principle, and completely ignores their obligation to manage these tyres throughout their life cycle.”

He concluded, “It is not acceptable to impose further cost burdens on Irish farming, with Teagasc reporting average income figures of €26,526. Farming will not become an income stream for REPAK or the tyre industry.”