Taoiseach Simon Harris says he is “sick to the back teeth” of “the attempt by some to demonise farmers”.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal at Macra’s national conference in Naas at the weekend, Harris warmed to a theme he had raised last week in the Dáil, firing a broadside at some politicians “who speak about farming in relation to climate in a way they would not speak about any other part of industry in this country.

“Some suggest that it is a choice between climate or farming,” the Taoiseach continued.

“It is not,” he said, repeating the phrase twice for emphasis.

“We’ve seen this week emissions dropping yet again in relation to agriculture.

“Let me be clear, we’ll have to do more.

“Farmers will have to do more, but let’s do it in a supportive, cooperative, partnership way.

“Let’s look at how we can grow the CAP. Let’s look at how we can pull together as ‘Team Ireland’ to make sure we keep our nitrates derogation in place”.

With an election certain to be called within days, the Fine Gael leader was setting his stall out as a strong defender of farmers, flanked by his party’s agriculture spokesperson Martin Heydon.