FARMERS VENTED their anger against the Government yesterday with a show of strength that brought thousands of tractors onto the streets of 29 cities and towns across the State.
The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) claimed 6,000 vehicles had come out for the protest. There was huge traffic disruption, especially in Limerick and Kilkenny, but all the protests, over falling prices and proposed Government cuts, passed off peacefully.
Leading the protest in his native Laois, IFA president Pádraig Walshe told protesters who had turned up with 140 tractors in Portlaoise that the protests would continue.
He attacked the Government’s lack of commitment to the sector, which he said had far more ability to create jobs and lead the country out of recession through an export drive than many foreign firms set up through Enterprise Ireland.
“They come and go, but we are staying unless the Government wipes us out completely by cutting the schemes which help us remain productively on the land,” he said.
He attacked the Green Party for failing to mention during negotiations for the Programme for Government the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (Reps), which the Greens said they supported.
“What the Greens have been going on with over the last few weeks is an absolute sham. There is no way the farmers of Ireland can keep up the environmental standards unless they are rewarded for doing it,” he said.
Market forces would drive down environmental standards unless there was a proper and well-funded Reps scheme, and he called on the Government to draw up a proper budget for the scheme.
“There were more people here today at one farmer meeting in Portlaoise than attended the Green Party convention on Saturday which decided the future of the country,” he said.
The AA reported very severe traffic disruption in Limerick and Kilkenny, which became a “no-go” area for over two hours, and there was similar traffic chaos in Loughrea, Co Galway, and in Roscommon town. The turnout in Limerick was estimated at 300 tractors, 280 in Kilkenny, 400 in Enniscorthy and 300 in Loughrea.
The IFA said 250 tractors took part in the Fermoy protest, and almost 400 in each of the two Tipperary protest venues. There were 150 tractors in the Bandon protest and 180 in Carlow, and upwards of 300 on the streets of Dungarvan.
Protesting farmers delivered a letter of protest to the Taoiseach’s constituency office in Tullamore, Co Offaly, where almost 175 tractors took to the streets, delaying traffic by over 40 minutes.
There were long delays in Cavan town, where 150 vehicles were driven through. In Tralee, Co Kerry, over 100 vehicles came out.
A statement issued by Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith as the protest took place said he fully acknowledged the difficulties facing the farming community this year and said he had been consistently working within Government and at EU level to alleviate them.
He stated that a key element was bringing forward of the Single Farm Payment, and dairy sector support measures being put in place by the EU Commission.