IFA president Tim Cullinan has called on Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue to push for more flexibility for member states in the implementation of CAP proposals.

“This provisional agreement is a bad deal for Irish farmers and a bad deal for the rural economy," Cullinan said.

He called on the Minister to secure more flexibility to mitigate the negative impact of some of the measures.

“The combined effects of the provisional deal will devastate a cohort of farmers in Ireland. This will have a knock-on effect on the wider sector that will be very damaging for the rural economy,” Cullinan continued.

“The Irish Government will have to honour their commitments on maximum national co-financing, and on the €1.5bn from the Carbon Tax Fund to protect the viability of tens of thousands of farmers."

Cullinan’s comments came ahead of an EU council of ministers meeting this morning where agricultural ministers, including Minister McConalogue, will consider the provisional CAP agreement announced in Brussels on Friday.