Businessman Dr Eddie OâConnor has apologised after being criticised for using âantiquated stereotypesâ in comments he made regarding perceived difficulties with investing in Africa.
Dr OâConnor made the observations at last weekâs Dublin Climate Dialogues series, and was said by a fellow speaker to have engaged in climate colonialism when commenting on the continent.
âIn the west we have the administrations by and large to be able to handle these type of investments,â he said when asked by Prof John FitzGerald about green investment by developed economies over the coming years.
âThe great problem that we found trying to electrify Africa with renewable energy has been the lack of capability. When you go and talk to the ministers and the prime ministers and the ministers for finance, they do not have that tradition of democracy.
‘A cut to the national herd is inevitable, it’s necessary. But the cut should occur on the beef side first.” This is leading economist Professor John Fitzgerald’s frank view on where the “mature discussion” on the future of Irish dairy should start.
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Dairy farmers have been put on notice that the continuation of uncontrolled expansion of the national herd is not compatible with achieving the targets on the environmental road map.
Addressing the IFA AGM, Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue said the dairy sector will have to play its part in achieving the targets for which a “stable herd” needs to be the basis and he resisted demands for a commitment not to cap dairy production.
IFA president Tim Cullinan accused Minister McConalogue of reneging on a commitment given at the association’s 2020 AGM that dairy production would not be capped.
However, McConalogue said significant expansion has occurred in the industry in recent years and warned that there is a need for a “mature discussion” to focus on the need for additional cows from now out.