THE Government has failed to articulate a policy on the now imminent reform of the European Union's Common Agriculture Policy, according to Mr Bertie Ahern.
The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates, in turn accused the Fianna Fail leader of displaying "a pathetic lack of knowledge" of agricultural affairs in the EU.
Mr Ahern said in a statement: "Accounting for half the EU budget, the forthcoming negotiations on CAP reform will be of intense interest to member states. If the future of our rural communities is to be secured, Ireland must go to the negotiations as a policy maker not a policy taker."
Last year CAP had brought £1.5 billion into the Irish economy and the future of hundreds of rural communities and thousands of farm families was at stake. "It would be disastrous if, by default, CAP reform were allowed fall victim to indecision and inertia."
There was a "serious danger" that the Minister would "squander the opportunity afforded him by our EU presidency".
Mr Ahern invited rural communities, farm organisations and the food industry to join with Fianna Fail in initiating a public debate on "this crucial issue".
Responding, Mr Yates said Mr Ahern was "profoundly mistaken" on a number of counts. "In the first place, there are no Commission proposals for the reform of the CAP," he said. "Secondly, the Irish Government has been particularly active in preparing for the policy decisions which, ultimately, will be taken in this area.
The Minister added: "It is a source of regret that the leader of the main opposition party should issue such an inaccurate and misleading statement."