Fianna Fáil’s Agriculture spokesperson Éamon Ó Cuív is urging local farmers in the Achill area to come to a public meeting next week, which will outline the party’s alternative proposals for reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.

The meeting is being held in Connaughton’s Achill Sound Hotel at 8.30pm next Wednesday, 2nd April.

Speaking ahead of the meeting, Deputy Ó Cuív said, “I want to hear from local farmers, who will be affected by this new CAP agreement. This is the first time that CAP funding has been reduced, and with the Government refusing to match EU funding for regional development, the agriculture sector is being left with a €600 million shortfall. This will have a major impact on farmers in Mayo.

“The deal negotiated by Minister Simon Coveney is a bad one. I’m very concerned that it penalises family farms in this region. The Minister has protected powerful vested interests and has attacked the most vulnerable sectors of Irish agriculture. There needs to be more of a focus on supporting family farms and farmers with low entitlements in the West of Ireland.

Deputy Ó Cuív will outline Fianna Fáil’s alternative CAP proposals at the meeting next week. “Fianna Fáil wants a fairer deal for farmers. “We want to see 50/50 co-funding by the Government and the transfer of €300 million euro of Pillar 2 funding to Pillar 1

“Farmers need to stand together and demand a better deal from the Minister. I would urge all local farmers to come to the meeting to have their voices heard and their questions answered”.