An IFA pig farmer demonstration outside the Department of Agriculture’s head office on Kildare Street has been “paused for now” after the IFA said arrangements had been made for further negotiations on its proposed €100m pig sector rescue package.

Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue and Minister of State Martin Heydon met with an IFA delegation on Tuesday to discuss the €100m support deal formulated by the IFA, Meat Industry Ireland (MII) and the Irish Grain and Feed Association (IGFA).

IFA president Tim Cullinan told the Irish Farmers Journal that “technical aspects” of the package were discussed in the meeting, that he emphasised the urgency needed in intervention and that negotiations are ongoing.

Many farmers stated that if the package was not agreed on Tuesday, they would be forced to cut their losses and exit the sector. Some 10,135 sows had been slaughtered already by Tuesday, according to the IFA.

We need an answer today

“It’s time that the Government make a decision if they are going to help us or not and if they don’t it will be on them that the pig industry does close. We need an answer today,” pig farmer Willie Murphy told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“We have to get some sort of a package or some sort of a deal. At least, minister, come out and tell us what is on offer. Is there anything on offer?” asked Brian Hanley, another pig farmer in attendance.

Government response

Minister Heydon had told farmers at the protest that the €7m support package announced by the Department earlier this month “was the most that we could do under de minimis rules at that time”. Cullinan dismissed this comment.

Pig sector stakeholders will address the Joint Oireachtas Committee on agriculture on the sector’s crisis in a special full-day sitting of the committee later this month.