Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) president Pat McCormack was jeered by fellow farmers after crossing an Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) demonstration outside the Department of Agriculture’s headquarters on Kildare Street on Thursday.

Around 100 IFA members protested over delays to scheme payment dates and the looming cut to derogation stocking rates outside Ag House, where a meeting with farming organisations had been called by Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue.

McCormack passed the protesters alongside ICMSA general secretary John Enright, being the only farmer representatives thought to have entered the meeting through the front door where protesters had gathered.

The pair were met with shouts of “scabs” and “traitors” by the farmers protesting.

Refusing to attend

Macra, the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association (INHFA) and the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) have all travelled to Ag House, but are refusing to attend the meeting.

The protest was called after a Farmers' Charter meeting due to discuss farm payment dates in Portlaoise was cancelled in place of an information meeting on farm payment dates and changes to the nitrates derogation.

The IFA had planned to boycott and picket the Portlaoise meeting.

‘Very disappointing’

IFA president Tim Cullinan stated that it was “very disappointing to see others decide they were going to go in this morning”.

He criticised the means by which Ireland was informed of the decision to cut the derogation from 1 January 2024 and also pointed to Minister McConalogue as being responsible for this failure to secure flexibility.

“The other issue we are dealing with here is farm payments. What other sector of society would put up with a delay of a month in their income,” Cullinan added.

“We are not going to stand for this, we will fight this.

“Minister McConalogue, I am telling you we are going to fight this."