Angry farmers are expected to intensify their dispute with the EU today following an uncompromising statement from Brussels indicating that it is unlikely to change its plan to pay direct aid to farmers by the acre rather than by the number of animals they possess.
Since early Wednesday, members of the IFA have been occupying the offices of the EU Commission in Dublin in protest over the Union's refusal to allow the Irish Government compensate farmers for the losses they face in the change.
Early today, the IFA reacted angrily to a statement by the Agriculture Commissioner, Mr Fischler, indicating that amendments to the proposed changes were unlikely.
This brought a blunt response from the IFA which said it was totally unacceptable that the EU could not accept the damage this would cause to Irish farmers in disadvantaged areas.
There were indications last night from the IFA that the occupation of the EU offices may be intensified.
Yesterday, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, brought forward a planned meeting with the Irish Farmers' Association leadership to lunchtime at his Drumcondra home.
While the Government is prepared to pay at least £20 million in compensation to 25,000 farmers who will lose out when the EU changes to paying according to acreage rather than on the number of cattle on farms, the EU will not allow the payment.
The EU Commission is concerned that such a direct payment would be challenged during the World Trade talks by the union's trade competitors, including the US and Canada.
The general secretary of the IFA, Mr Michael Berkery, said the Taoiseach had given a commitment that the compensation would be paid to those who lose out in the scheme for six years. Mr Ahern said he would contact the Commissioner for Health and Consumer Affairs, Mr David Byrne, to ask him to work with his fellow commissioners to find a way of breaking the deadlock between the Government and the Commission, which must approve the new system of direct payments to farmers.
The protesters were visited by a number of politicians yesterday, including the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr Ned O'Keeffe.
He was told by a group of Kerry farmers that if the Government allowed the EU put the new system in place, it would constitute "ethnic cleansing" of hill farmers along the west coast.
They said landowners and hobbyists who held land and did nothing with it would benefit, while the "real victim" in disadvantaged areas would be the progressive farmer who was trying to make a living by his stock.