The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) president Tim Cullinan has said the announcement from Government on Wednesday morning regarding farm schemes sends a message that it is not interested in supporting active farming and is more interested in rewarding farmers for reducing production.

“A cohort of our most productive farmers are going to be devastated by the CAP decisions at EU level,” Cullinan said.

“The Minister’s own decisions today will do nothing to help these farmers.”

Cullinan maintained that the Green Party is running the show with Fianna Fáil and Fianna Gael being “led by the nose”.

“The Minister’s plan to allocate the maximum 25% of every farmer’s Basic Payment to so-called ‘eco-schemes’ is bizarre, as the Minister himself fought to secure flexibility on this at EU level,” he said.

Cullinan said that the funding for suckler cows, ewes and the tillage sector was totally inadequate

At present only one third of Irish farmers are viable. These announcements today will further reduce the number of viable farmers.

Cullinan said that the funding for suckler cows, ewes and the tillage sector was totally inadequate.

He commented that over €2bn of the funding announced today was EU funding, which had been announced previously, while €749m was from carbon tax which was committed in the programme for Government.

“For the Government to say they have increased co-funding for the CAP by 50% is disingenuous as this includes the Government’s promised carbon tax allocation,” he said.

“The irony is that the carbon tax income is generated by active farmers, who have no alternative fuel source. Yet, they are the ones being nailed by these reforms and now by our own Government,” he said.