Some Positives, but Programme for Govt on Farming Lacking in Funding Specifics

 

Commenting on the Agriculture chapter of the Programme for Government, IFA President Tim Cullinan said that the document had some good aspects but lacked specifics in relation to funding commitments.

“The Programme for Government commits to an environmental scheme similar to REPS. This will need to be sufficiently resourced with new funding to enable a significant payment per farmer. It cannot just be a recycling of funds from other schemes,” he said.

 

Tim Cullinan welcomed the commitment to appoint a food Ombudsman in line with the EU directive on the Food Chain.

 

“Some of the more extreme proposals from the Green Party, such as a ban on live exports and the removal of the nitrates derogation, are not in the programme, which is important,” he said.

 

“The potential for farmers to contribute to our climate targets through the production of renewable energy is mentioned in the document, but it must be something the new Government embraces,” he said.

 

“Farmers are keen to play their part, but to date they have been excluded,” he said.