THE LAST time protesting farmers brought their sheep to the Department of Agriculture in Dublin they drove them into the lobby, souring relations between the two sides for a decade.
Yesterday sheep farmers arrived again at Kildare Street, but carefully penned their ewes on a bed of straw and never went near the lobby.
Yet the issue remains the same nearly 20 years on. Sheep farmers want more money, and that was the purpose of yesterday's IFA-inspired event.
Unlike the last protest, the sheep men are keeping their animals at the front door of the department until Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith delivers them a €20 per ewe payment.
Last week the Minister got permission from the EU to give unspent EU funds of €23 million to needy sectors, and Henry Burns, the IFA sheep committee chairman, says his sector needs it most and now.
He said the Minister was on record that the sheep sector would be a priority for these funds, but since then had refused to commit himself to a major aid package.
A spokesperson for the Minister said the dispersal of unspent EU money would be decided by the Minister following consultation with the main stakeholders in the agriculture sector.
The statement was issued before the Minister was aware that the sheep will be kept there until he agrees to pay the money.
Farmers like Richard Brickenden from Cratloe, Co Clare, and Colm O'Donnell from the Ox mountains in Co Sligo, said without EU aid the industry would be lost.
They said they were staying at the department until the commitment was given, no matter how long that took.