“Our own organisation [the IFA] refused, I’m ashamed to say, to look at the drain of money from one sector to another. The problem we have with convergence, is convergence is communism. Everyone gets the same no matter what. It’s the individuals that get put away. At what point is it enough? If we need a cap [on cow numbers], go for it, don’t be kicking it down the road, but cap them [the dairy and beef sectors] separately. You can’t expect one farmer to be written off to give way for another.”
Thomas O’Connor,
Kildare IFA chair
“You stood in my yard last Tuesday and said you’d commit to young farmers. You came out on Wednesday and took 35% of my income. You’re putting me out of business.”
Martin Stapleton, IFA treasurer
“I called you dishonest [minister] and it gave me no pleasure to do it. Organics is increasing by 500%, we haven’t the capacity to take it, you know it won’t be spent. That is dishonest.”
Pat Deering, farmer and former Fine Gael TD
“The vast majority of farmers around this ring are facing a 45% cut in payments on Pillar I. No other sector in society would accept a 45% cut in wages. How do you ensure that the 25% in Pillar I is going to come back to those who are going to lose it? In the event money is left over from the eco schemes, where will that go?”
Jim O’Connor,
Roscommon IFA chair
“I don’t think there was ever an Irish Government that has shown less commitment to Irish agriculture than the Government that you refer to. A commitment of €2 [more] per ewe will not make any farmer viable and it will not encourage any young people into that sector. We will not survive in Roscommon at the level of support you have proposed in relation to the suckler herd. Irish agriculture is dying, minister, and you and your Government are creating the coffin that will carry it into oblivion.”
Thomas Brennan, suckler farmer
“I am a suckler farmer and I’m from the Ballywilliam IFA branch. Food was never as cheap. Our grandfathers in their time spent 70% of their income on food, now it’s about 15% or 16% and people will tell you it’s still dear. This cannot last.”
Thomas Cullen, sheep farmer
“I’m a sheep farmer from Co Wexford and the local chairman of the Nash branch just outside New Ross. I’m here to protest for the sheep and beef farmers and all dairy and tillage farmers. I’m here to represent the farmers in my own area. I think it’s scandalous what the Government are doing, cutting the national herd, putting farmers’ livelihoods under threat. I think the minister has a lot to account for.”
“Our own organisation [the IFA] refused, I’m ashamed to say, to look at the drain of money from one sector to another. The problem we have with convergence, is convergence is communism. Everyone gets the same no matter what. It’s the individuals that get put away. At what point is it enough? If we need a cap [on cow numbers], go for it, don’t be kicking it down the road, but cap them [the dairy and beef sectors] separately. You can’t expect one farmer to be written off to give way for another.”
Thomas O’Connor,
Kildare IFA chair
“You stood in my yard last Tuesday and said you’d commit to young farmers. You came out on Wednesday and took 35% of my income. You’re putting me out of business.”
Martin Stapleton, IFA treasurer
“I called you dishonest [minister] and it gave me no pleasure to do it. Organics is increasing by 500%, we haven’t the capacity to take it, you know it won’t be spent. That is dishonest.”
Pat Deering, farmer and former Fine Gael TD
“The vast majority of farmers around this ring are facing a 45% cut in payments on Pillar I. No other sector in society would accept a 45% cut in wages. How do you ensure that the 25% in Pillar I is going to come back to those who are going to lose it? In the event money is left over from the eco schemes, where will that go?”
Jim O’Connor,
Roscommon IFA chair
“I don’t think there was ever an Irish Government that has shown less commitment to Irish agriculture than the Government that you refer to. A commitment of €2 [more] per ewe will not make any farmer viable and it will not encourage any young people into that sector. We will not survive in Roscommon at the level of support you have proposed in relation to the suckler herd. Irish agriculture is dying, minister, and you and your Government are creating the coffin that will carry it into oblivion.”
Thomas Brennan, suckler farmer
“I am a suckler farmer and I’m from the Ballywilliam IFA branch. Food was never as cheap. Our grandfathers in their time spent 70% of their income on food, now it’s about 15% or 16% and people will tell you it’s still dear. This cannot last.”
Thomas Cullen, sheep farmer
“I’m a sheep farmer from Co Wexford and the local chairman of the Nash branch just outside New Ross. I’m here to protest for the sheep and beef farmers and all dairy and tillage farmers. I’m here to represent the farmers in my own area. I think it’s scandalous what the Government are doing, cutting the national herd, putting farmers’ livelihoods under threat. I think the minister has a lot to account for.”
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