Trevor Boland, part-time suckler farmer, Sligo

“It doesn’t make sense to me, from the point of view of a suckler farmer from the west of Ireland.

“It would probably wipe out part-time farmers. I don’t see the sense in it.

“I find it strange that part-time farmers’ payments would be cut. I would be hoping that it [the decision to cut payments] wouldn’t go through at all.

“It would be hard to impose in Ireland – who will define what a part-time farmer is? Even the Department of Finance and Department of Agriculture have difficulties defining what a full-time farmer is from a tax point of view.”

Michael-John Houlihan, full-time dairy farmer, Laois

“There are two types of part-time farmers – those who are forced financially to work off-farm to support themselves and those who elect to farm as a hobby.

“Most farmers are part-time and the reason is because they have [another] job. Some farmers can afford, and I have nothing against part-time farmers, to at times take a price for their produce that is below the cost of production. If I had an average industrial wage to fall back on every year, it would be a lot easier to lose money on the farm. Direct payments are a double edged sword – they are disproportionate to everyone.

“There are historical payments going to people who aren’t farming as actively as they used to. Full-time farmers are relying on the farm, if the milk price goes to 20c/l again, I’ll be on a fine line.

“I’d much rather no Basic Payment and get a decent price for my produce.”

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