A reducing population of farmers right across the EU was a major contributor to the next CAP budget facing cuts while the EU gears up for an overall boost in spending, IFA members have been told by the association’s director general, Damian McDonald.

“One other reality we have to face up to as farmers is that you know farmers are a reducing portion of the overall population and that’s relevant here, but it’s probably even more relevant in some of the other member states,” he said.

McDonald highlighted that the proportion of Ireland’s population reliant on farming for an occupation has fallen from 24% when Ireland joined the EEC to around 4% today.

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“Now that doesn’t take into account a multiplier effect and so on, but they’re the stark numbers,” he said.

“We still have a very accessible population of politicians here in Ireland, but in other member states, agriculture is a much less significant part of the economy.

“Our multi-seat constituency system that we have here works well for us as well, in that it keeps the pressure on the politicians.”