IFA Won’t Allow Dept Impose Measures on Farmers Without Negotiation

IFA President Tim Cullinan said that Minister McConalogue and the Government must sit down to negotiate the new CAP with farmers, with a view to reaching an agreement with them.

“We met with Minister McConalogue and Ministers of State Hackett and Heydon yesterday and I briefed our National Officers Committee this morning,” he said.

“We were very clear with the Ministers that any changes must be in agreement with farmers. They cannot be imposed following a consultation process which is just shadow boxing,” he said.

“In any other sector of society, the Government would sit down and negotiate change with the people affected. Farmers must be treated the same way, and not treated as some distant stakeholders,” he said.

“We recognise that with negotiation, comes responsibility.  IFA is prepared to sit down and negotiate with a view to reaching an agreement on these issues. Imposing measures on farmers will not work no matter how much ‘consultation’ there is,” he said.