FARMERS' WTO PROTEST

MORE THAN 1,200 farmers converged on Government Buildings yesterday with six tractors in the red and blue of France to welcome its president, Nicolas Sarkozy, and his stand on European agriculture.

However, the Irish Farmers' Association, which organised the gathering with welcome banners in French, had a dual purpose.

While the farmers were strong in their praise for Mr Sarkozy, they also called for a veto on any deal on agriculture negotiated by the EU Commissioner for Trade, Peter Mandelson, at the World Trade Talks in Geneva.

"We want to explain to President Sarkozy, who is a friend of Irish agriculture, that we believe he is correct when he said Mr Mandelson had gone too far in WTO," IFA president Padraig Walshe said.

"France will not hand over its food security to South American ranchers, international shippers and commodity traders," he said.

The Taoiseach, Brian Cowen, had given the association a pledge to use a veto against any deal that would harm Irish agriculture, he added.

Mr Walshe said the time for this had come, because Mr Mandelson had offered even greater concessions to South America which would wipe out the Irish beef herd if agreed.

"I want the Taoiseach to say today that the WTO deal on the table is unacceptable to the Government - and since it is, there is only one course of action. Declare the veto," he said.

He told cheering farmers now was the hour for Mr Cowen to tell Mr Sarkozy he would use the veto - not later this week when a deal could be done and when Mr Mandelson might say he did not understand the Irish position.

The farmers raised their "Mandelson Out" chant to a fever pitch when Mr Sarkozy's convoy arrived at the other end of the street, hemmed in by gardaí, fishermen, Sinn Féiners and disparate groups complaining about the EU. One man among the protest groups was arrested for throwing two eggs at the cars.

Following a later meeting with Mr Sarkozy, Mr Walsh said he told him a sell-out of Irish agriculture at the WTO talks would leave most farmers and rural Ireland voting No in any future Lisbon referendum.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times