Written by Rachel Martin
Thousands of letters from farmers across Northern Ireland warning the proposed Climate Change Bill could decimate the region’s agricultural industry appear to have fallen on deaf ears as politicians voted the bill through its second stage.
The Ulster Farmers’ Union lobbied politicians and urged members to write to their local MLAs to warn of the bill’s potential impact. It’s understood a template letter drafted by the union was downloaded more than 4,500 times. It’s not known how many farmers went on to send it to their local representatives, however, dozens claimed to have done so online.
If passed, the Climate Change Bill would legislate a net-zero target for Greenhouse Gas emissions for Northern Ireland by 2050.
Critics of the bill warn this puts “unreasonable demands” on the region’s farming industry and risks simply off-shoring food production to parts of the world where farming is less sustainable.
However, despite the warnings, the Climate Change Bill was tabled by Green Party leader Clare Bailey and passed its second stage with 58 ayes to 29 noes on Monday night (May 10).
The bill will now move on to the committee stage for more detailed scrutiny before returning for further consideration.
Ulster Farmers’ Union president Victor Chestnutt said he could only hope MLAs would make amendments to the bill to lessen its impact.
But how did your local MLA vote? Agriland has the full breakdown of all 90 MLAs, including those who did not attend, by constituency below.
East Belfast
- Andy Allen (UUP) – AYE
- Joanne Bunting (DUP) – NO
- Naomi Long (APNI) – AYE
- Chris Lyttle (APNI) – AYE
- Robin Newton (DUP) – NO
South Belfast
- Clare Bailey (Green Party) – AYE
- Paula Bradshaw (APNI) – AYE
- Deirdre Hargey (SF) – AYE
- Matthew O’Toole (SDLP) – AYE
- Christopher Stalford (DUP) – NOT PRESENT
West Belfast
- Gerry Carroll (PBP) – AYE
- Órlaithí Flynn (SF) – AYE
- Alex Maskey (SF) – NOT PRESENT
- Fra McCann (SF) – AYE
- Pat Sheehan (SF) – AYE
North Belfast
- Paula Bradley (DUP) – NO
- William Humphrey (DUP) – AYE
- Gerry Kelly (SF) – AYE
- Nichola Mallon (SDLP) – AYE
- Carál Ní Chuilín (SF) – AYE
North Down
- Alan Chambers (UUP) – AYE
- Gordon Dunne (DUP) – NO
- Alex Easton (DUP) – NO
- Andrew Muir (APNI) – AYE
- Rachel Woods (GP) – AYE
Strangford
- Kellie Armstrong (APNI) – AYE
- Harry Harvey (DUP) – NO
- Michelle McIlveen (DUP) – NO
- Mike Nesbitt (UUP) – AYE
- Peter Weir (DUP) -NO
Lagan Valley
- Robbie Butler (UUP) – AYE
- Pat Catney (SDLP) – AYE
- Paul Givan (DUP) – NO
- Trevor Lunn (Independent) – AYE
- Edwin Poots (DUP) – NO
South Down
- Sinéad Bradley (SDLP) – AYE
- Sinéad Ennis (SF) – AYE
- Colin McGrath (SDLP) – AYE
- Emma Rogan (SF) – AYE
- Jim Wells (Ind) – AYE
Upper Bann
- Doug Beattie (UUP) – AYE
- Jonathan Buckley (DUP) – NO
- Diane Dodds (DUP) – NO
- Dolores Kelly (SDLP) – AYE
- John O’Dowd (SF) – AYE
Newry & Armagh
- Cathal Boylan (SF) – AYE
- William Irwin (DUP) – NO
- Liz Kimmins (SF) – AYE
- Justin McNulty (SDLP) – AYE
- Conor Murphy (SF) – AYE
Fermanagh & South Tyrone
- Rosemary Barton (UUP) – NO
- Jemma Dolan (SF) – AYE
- Arlene Foster (DUP) – NO
- Colm Gildernew (SF) – AYE
- Seán Lynch (SF) – AYE
West Tyrone
- Thomas Buchanan (DUP) – NO
- Nicola Brogan (SF) – AYE
- Declan McAleer (SF) – AYE
- Daniel McCrossan (SDLP) – AYE
- Maolíosa McHugh (SF) – AYE
Mid Ulster
- Keith Buchanan (DUP) – NO
- Linda Dillon (SF) – AYE
- Patsy McGlone (SDLP) – AYE
- Michelle O’Neill (SF) – AYE
- Emma Sheerin (SF) – AYE
Foyle
- Martina Anderson (SF) – AYE
- Mark H. Durkan (SDLP) – AYE
- Sinead McLaughlin (SDLP) -AYE
- Karen Mullan (SF) -AYE
- Gary Middleton (DUP) – NO
East Londonderry
- Caoimhe Archibald (SF) – AYE
- Maurice Bradley (DUP) – NO
- Cara Hunter (SDLP) – AYE
- George Robinson (DUP) – NO
- Claire Sugden (Ind) – AYE
North Antrim
- Jim Allister (TUV) – NO
- Paul Frew (DUP) – NO
- Philip McGuigan (SF) – AYE
- Mervyn Storey (DUP) – NO
- Robin Swann (UUP) – NOT PRESENT
South Antrim
- Steve Aiken (UUP) – AYE
- John Blair (APNI) – AYE
- Pam Cameron (DUP) – NO
- Trevor Clarke (DUP) – NO
- Declan Kearney (SF) – AYE
East Antrim
- Roy Beggs Jr. (UUP) – NO
- Stewart Dickson (APNI) – AYE
- David Hilditch (DUP) – NO
- Gordon Lyons (DUP) – NO
- John Stewart (UUP) – AYE
The post Climate Change Bill: How did your local MLA vote? appeared first on Agriland.co.uk.
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