Farmers have been “deserted in flop Budget 2022”, the Rural Independent Group of TDs has claimed.
Describing it as “deeply anti-rural”, and that it will “do nothing to support the rural economy of the family farm”, the group said that the government has been “completely insensitive to the needs of farm families”.
Budget ‘fails farmers’
Independent TD Michael Collins said:
“Despite this government’s infliction of immeasurable damage to Irish agriculture under its climate action policies, [the] budget delivers absolutely nothing to support the family farm or the wider agri-food sector, which cumulatively employs over 164,400 people.
“This budget fails farmers and the rural communities which depend on farming activity.”
The deputy also said that the increase in agriculture funding for 2022 “will not even keep up with inflationary cost pressures”.
“The scale of the government’s inflicted crisis upon agriculture cannot be overstated, from massive hikes in costs, and a raft of other bureaucratic and climate emission reduction measures, between now and 2030.
“Thus, never was there a more important time to provide essential additional supports and some form of certainty for the sector.”
‘Detachment’
The deputy said that “genuine concerns being constantly raised by the sector are not priority at government level”, and that the budget “confirms this established theory”.
“Such detachment by the government is infuriating, but not entirely surprising.
“Budget day is all about setting out priorities and marking financial commitments.
“Sadly, [the] budget illustrates that Irish agriculture is far removed from government prioritisation. Instead, the sector is being targeted for very costly carbon tax increases and red tape nightmares.”
He added that it is “no wonder that farmers feel abandoned” by government.
“The only certain thing in [the] budget is that farm families will be financially worse off next year.
“This deplorable treatment of our most cherished domestic sector by the government is deceitful,” the deputy claimed.