CRATLOE native Eddie Punch is standing as an Independent candidate in the Ireland South constituency for this year’s European Parliament Election on Friday, June 7.
Married to Una, with whom he has four children, Mr Punch stepped down from his role as Secretary General of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) after 25 years to enter electoral politics.
A suckler and beef farmer, he sits on the board of Sixmilebridge Co-operative Mart and has been a member of council with the Irish Management Institute since 2021.
A former member of the National Economic and Social Council, he has also worked in rural development with both Laois LEADER and West Limerick Resources.
“I have negotiated with every EU Farm Commissioner since Franz Fischler in 2003,” he said.
“Now I want to put that experience to use for the constituents of Ireland South. This is not just about farmers; this is about all of those whose lives and economic wellbeing is linked to the success of our agri-food sector. This is about Ireland’s vital national interests, of which our farming sector is a key component.”
He believes that farmers are entitled to fair play when it comes to climate and environmental targets.
“Farmers are more actively engaged in sustainability than most of the population. But we can’t forget that the primary purpose of farming is to feed the world. Farming also can make a significant difference to renewable energy and we need to get the balance right in policy between food security, energy security, and climate ambition.”
He says that “farmers want to do the right thing but they are also entitled to recognition for the role they play in providing carbon sinks, and they are entitled to fairness in terms of emissions estimates and other metrics that have been adopted”.
