Farmers in Tipperary feel quite optimistic that they “won’t be thrown under the bus” when it comes to climate change demands, Irish Farmers' Association (IFA) north Tipperary chair Imelda Walsh has said.

Walsh was speaking following a meeting with Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney this week.

Members of north and south Tipperary IFA met with Minister Coveney and Senator Garret Ahern on Monday at the Horse and Jockey Hotel in the county.

Walsh told the Irish Farmers Journal that the minister was challenged about the disconnect felt between rural Ireland and the Government and asked if they were “playing too much to the Green Party’s tune”.

Bottom lines

She said she fears people's bottom lines are going to be a lot less next year, with input costs on the rise.

“We haven’t seen the impact of Brexit at all yet, we are still definitely in the honeymoon period.

"Farmers are going to be facing huge tax bills next year, all farm costs are going up and I fear there could be more than a €5/ac spike in contractor costs,” she said.

“He had a very good understanding of the current challenges facing agriculture, the work already undertaken by farmers in respect to eco schemes and I think his previous role as Minister for Agriculture definitely stands to him.

'Optimistic'

“I came away from the meeting feeling quite optimistic that we won’t be thrown under the bus. We see what’s happening and we know climate change is going to be an issue.

"The target of reducing greenhouse gases by 51% by 2030 won’t be easy, but after yesterday’s meeting I feel more confident that we will be supported on this journey."