Kelly: Pollinator Project Shows How to Deliver for Nature and Farming

Sean Kelly, MEP for Ireland South and Leader of Fine Gael in the European Parliament, has highlighted a successful local biodiversity initiative in County Limerick as proof that the EU’s New Deal for Pollinators is delivering real benefits for both nature and communities.

“The New Deal for Pollinators is more than a strategy on paper — it’s creating visible, local change,” said Kelly. “We now have concrete examples of how EU support can help farmers, local authorities, and communities work together to reverse pollinator decline.”
Referencing the Ballybricken Pollinator Corridor project, Kelly praised the collaborative nature of the work: “Farmers, scientists, and community groups are coming together with practical solutions. Wildflower margins, reduced pesticide use, and improved hedgerow management — these are small changes with a big impact.”
He noted that the EU’s approach is rooted in cooperation, not punishment. “This isn’t about imposing burdens. It’s about giving people the tools and incentives to do the right thing — for biodiversity, for food security, and for future generations.”
Kelly also underlined the wider significance: “We know pollinators are essential for agriculture. If we lose them, we lose crop diversity, yield stability, and long-term resilience. That’s why the New Deal is so important — and why Ireland’s leadership in this space is something to be proud of.”
The Ireland South MEP stressed that more must be done to scale up these efforts across Europe: “What we’re seeing locally should be happening continent-wide. The science is clear, the urgency is real — and now we have proof that progress is possible.”
“We often hear that environmental policy is too abstract or disconnected. But this project is reminder that action, when done well, can empower local communities to lead the way.”