The IFA election schedule has put the six candidates through the most punishing week of the hustings.

There were five meetings on successive nights across three provinces, ranging from Carrick-on-Shannon, where the meeting jointly held by Sligo and Leitrim saw forestry, fracking and water charges feature alongside farm incomes.

The Connacht regional chair logjam was raised by Eddie Davitt, with a Sligo proposal to rotate the position across the five Connacht counties. The BDGP was a major issue in Roscommon, where the Forgotten Farmer issue also raised its head.

Candidate comments:

Joe Healy: “A part-time Minister for Agriculture is no good to Irish farmers. We need a full-time minister to deal with the severe challenges farmers face 24/7. There is plenty to keep the new minister occupied, if he or she has the appetite to tackle the issues. What farmers do not need is a part-time minister.”

Henry Burns: “Improving farm incomes is top of my agenda and I will put this firmly at the core of all IFA policies. There is a real income crisis threatening every sector of farming. I would work closely with all of the commodity committees to immediately bring forward a clear and strong plan of action targeted at improving incomes through higher product prices, reducing costs and increasing direct supports.”

Flor McCarthy: “The foot-dragging by the Minister for Agriculture on issuing approvals for farmers who have applied for the TAMS II grants is unacceptable. Many farmers have applied as far back as last September for grant aid under the various schemes and are yet awaiting approval six months later. It is vitally important that all farmers who have applied for TAMS investment are given the go-ahead without further delay so that investments can take place, particularly as the weather is now improving.”