A Fianna Fáil Dáil motion in support of a €200/cow suckler payment is proving controversial. Pat Deering has described it as “a cynical attempt to hijack the ongoing IFA and Irish Farmers Journal campaign”.

The motion, which was presented on Wednesday evening and voted upon on Thursday, calls for a €200/cow payment for sucklers.

In advance of the motion, Fianna Fáil agriculture spokesperson Charlie McConalogue described it as “a key policy” for his party.

“Suckler farmers generate average incomes below €13,000 each year and are fully dependent on CAP supports to maintain their livelihoods,” he said.

“Robbing Peter to pay Paul is not the correct way to go about supporting the suckler cow sector,” Deering, the agriculture committee chair, replied, adding it would require a cut in all farmers’ BPS, calculated at 18% by Minister Michael Creed. McConalogue says unspent funds have totalled €186m over the last two years. He wants the minister to review underspend levels and report back within two months “on a roadmap towards targeting RDP underspend to sucklers and other vulnerable sectors”.

Over 350 farmers signed the Save Our Sucklers petition in Co Donegal on Tuesday evening at the first of a series of IFA/Irish Farmers Journal mart demonstrations.

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