13 Candidates to Attend IFA Election Meeting in Mullingar This Evening
13 of the candidates who are running in Midlands-North-West for the European Parliament will attend the final IFA election debate in the Bloomfield House Hotel in Mullingar this evening at 8pm.
The are: Senator Niall Blaney (FF); Nina Carberry (FG); Senator Lisa Chambers (FF); Barry Cowen TD (FF); Michelle Gildernew (SF); Rory Hearne (Social Democrats); Fergal Landy (Lab); Ciaran Mullooly (Independent Ireland); Brian O’Boyle (People Before Profit); Senator Pauline O’Reilly (Green Party); James Reynolds (The National Party); Peadar ToibĂn (AontĂş); and John Waters (Independent).
IFA Ulster/North Leinster regional chair Frank Brady encouraged farmers to attend and put the candidates’ policy positions under scrutiny ahead of polling day on June 7th.
“It is time for the political system to stand up for farming and food production. As farmers, we are proud of what we do and how we do it. Farmers are sick of being over-regulated and underpaid. Enough is enough,” he said.
The IFA Manifesto has identified four key EU issues using the acronym CORE.
The CORE EU issues are: CAP, Over Regulation, Retain the Nitrates Derogation and Environmental fairness.
“Farmers are frustrated with how they have been treated by the political system in recent years. There has been a complete focus on environmental sustainability, but insufficient consideration for economic and social sustainability,” he said.
“Candidates who want an understanding of what matters to farmers can find our issues in the manifesto that we have produced. It reflects the discussions that happen at our County Executives, our National Committees and National Council, which is made up of our democratically-elected farmer officers,” he said.
