Minister Must Deliver for Farmers on Climate Action and CAP Schemes

IFA President Tim Cullinan led a delegation to meet the Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue this morning.

“The meeting was a full and frank exchange of views.  We left the Minister in no doubt about the depth of feeling amongst farmers about the current direction of Government policy towards farming,” he said.

“The Minister gave a commitment that he would be coming forward with a budget including national co-financing for CAP Pillar II schemes, including targeted support for suckler, sheep and tillage farmers, within the next week,” he said.

The Minister also advised that the Government would be announcing Ireland’s carbon budgets and sectoral emissions ceilings shortly.

“These are two massive decisions for the future of Irish farming. Minister McConalogue’s tenure will be judged on how the Government delivers on these two issues,” he said.

“Our protests last Friday showed that farmer anger on the ground is building. The Government must take this message onboard. Farmers and the agri-sector are the backbone of the rural economy and we won’t be sacrificed to pacify the Green Party,” he said.