IFA National Livestock chair, Angus Woods, reminded the crowd at last night’s Save Our Sucklers night in Carndonagh Mart that the organisation "had delivered in the past and that they would deliver again".

He was referring to the Sheep Welfare Scheme, which includes a payment of €10 per ewe, and the potential for a new direct payment per suckler cow.

“We pushed the Minister hard for the sheep payment and were continually told it wasn’t going to happen. But it got over the line,” Woods said.

One of four

“Ireland is one of only four countries in the EU-28 without a direct cow support payment,” he added.

Supports for the Irish suckler cow have been eroded by almost €200 in recent years and restoring these is one of the main focuses of the current Save Our Sucklers campaign, being run by the Irish Farmers Journal in conjunction with the IFA. Protecting the CAP budget and safeguarding farmers from the threats of Mercosur and Brexit are also on the agenda.

While there was rousing support from the 350-strong crowd, when questioned hard as to where the funding for a direct cow payment would come from, Woods remained defiant.

“There is a €3bn surplus in the national exchequer. It is up to the Minister to go looking for the funding. The Sheep Welfare Scheme was funded under pillar two of the CAP (using exchequer funds),” Woods answered.

The Suckler Cow Welfare scheme, which farmers will remember from the last decade, also received funding from the national purse.

The next stop on the Save Our Sucklers road show is in Cootehill Mart, Co Cavan tomorrow (Thursday) night.

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