The Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) will continue its protest over changes to the nitrates derogation and delayed payments, this time at Fine Gael's annual think-in on Friday 15 September.

Farmers are set to gather outside the Strand Hotel in Limerick city from 7am Friday morning until lunchtime on Saturday.

This protest follows on from a two-day protest at Fianna Fáil's think-in at the Horse and Jockey Hotel in Tipperary earlier in the week.

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Farmers expressed their anger over the cut to the derogation, delayed farm payments and the new suckler scheme, as well as issues in the sheep and tillage sectors.

Challenges

The IFA met with An Tánaiste Micheál Martin and Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue inside the Horse and Jockey Hotel on Monday to discuss the issues, focusing mainly on the challenges facing derogation farmers stocked greater than 220kg N/ha.

An Tánaiste said he would see what the Government could do to alleviate some of the pressures for those affected by the cut, but gave no clear commitment to rolling out any supports for these farmers.

Areas

Farmer anger was also evident over what parts of the country will be subject to the new lower limit 220kg organic N/ha limit.

However, Minister McConalogue said he hoped to bring some clarity to this in the coming days.

Speaking ahead of Friday's protest, IFA president Tim Cullinan told the Irish Farmers Journal that the message remains the same for Fine Gael as it did for Fianna Fáil.

"The campaign continues on Friday outside the Fine Gael think-in in Limerick. We want to show Fine Gael the extent of the anger farmers have around both the cut to the derogation and delayed payments.

"We are calling on all farmers to get out again and support the protest to show how serious this issue is," he said.