IRISH FARMERS HAVE today taken part in a show of solidarity with farmers who have been protesting across Europe.
Angry farmers have protested in Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania in recent weeks.
Today, around 1,000 tractors clogged roads in Brussels around an EU summit, while yesterday in France protestors blocked motorways around Paris.
The demands of farmers include lower taxes, cheaper electricity and fuel and stronger import controls.
There is also fury over EU rules that they say make farming more difficult, particularly with environmental requirements included in the European Union’s updated Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and the bloc’s forthcoming “Green Deal”.
European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen today said that the EU would put forward plans to ease rules and red tape criticised by farmers.
Here at home, the Irish Farmers’ Association held “solidarity demonstrations” across the country.
IFA President Francie Gorman said farmers here have been watching the protests across Europe, and that the message is that “enough is enough”.
What an evening 🚜🚜🚜! Huge thanks to all our members and supporters. The message to the government and #EU is clear...#EnoughIsEnough pic.twitter.com/UBqWaOYK5l
— Irish Farmers' Association (@IFAmedia) February 1, 2024
“Irish farmers are pro-EU, but there is mounting frustration about the impact of EU policy on European farmers, and its implementation here in Ireland,” said Gorman.
He added that farmers “feel they are being regulated out of business by Brussels bureaucrats and Department of Agriculture officials who are far removed from the reality of day-to-day farming”.
It was estimated that there were 100 tractors taking part in a demonstration close to Letterkenny in Co Donegal, around 130 in Co Limerick, and over 200 tractors in west Cork.
Laois #EnoughIsEnough pic.twitter.com/I0U4vSKaxh
— Irish Farmers' Association (@IFAmedia) February 1, 2024
Sinn Féin’s spokesperson on Agriculture Claire Kerrane said her party “expresses solidarity with the farmers protesting across the country and across Europe”.
“We know that far too often, farmers do not receive a fair price for their produce, which has been compounded by soaring input costs in recent years,” said Kerrane.
“As well as this, farmers are increasingly being asked to do more with regard to climate action and biodiversity, and amidst discussion around sustainability and diversification,” she added.
Meanwhile, Independent TD for Laois Offaly Carol Nolan said today’s demonstrations were a “last-ditch effort to highlight fury and frustration at the apparent indifference of the EU institutions”.
She added: “There is a bureaucratic model of farming deeply embedded in the EU and here in Ireland that is light years away from the kind of hands-on understanding that is required”.
Nolan also remarked that it’s time for the EU and Irish government to “wake-up because the path we are on is one of conflict, loss of productivity, increased food insecurity and devastation to livelihoods”.
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