Ahead of a debate on the motion this Wednesday, Fine Gael has slammed Fianna Fáil's move as a "cynical attempt to hijack the ongoing IFA and Irish Farmers Journal campaign".

The Save Our Sucklers campaign centres on an open letter calling on Irish and EU leaders to safeguard CAP funding, protect suckler farmers from the ongoing Mercosur, other trade deals and Brexit shocks, and introduce a €200/cow payment.

"Fianna Fáil has now moved to hijack this campaign by tabling a Dáil motion on the matter. Aside from jumping on the bandwagon, they are actually undermining the goals of the campaign," said Deputy Deering, who chairs the Oireachtas agriculture committee. He argued that increasing support for suckler farmers would use money already committed to farmers under GLAS and TAMS.

"Robbing Peter to pay Paul is not the correct way to go about supporting the suckler cow sector," Deputy Deering said, adding that funding a €200/cow suckler payment would require a cut to all farmers' BPS payments.

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FG and FF clash over 'cynical' suckler motion

Fine Gael TD Pat Deering has criticised a Fianna Fáil motion calling for increased support for suckler farmers, with both parties referencing the current Save Our Sucklers campaign.