The IFA has reacted furiously to suggestions by Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue that it had a part to play in dairy cull proposals.

In the Dáil on Wednesday, Minister McConalogue pointed the finger at the IFA and ICMSA, stating they were part of the Food Vision dairy group and that it “recommended that we should explore the option of a voluntary reduction scheme”.

IFA deputy president Brian Rushe hit back at the minister, accusing him of constructing stakeholder groups and then using them as a “political mudguard for himself”.

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He warned that the minister’s suggestion that farm organisations were involved in proposing a cow cull creates “huge mistrust”.

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