A group of up to 200 farmers has said they will continue their protest at a retail distribution centre in Co. Kildare, until some progress is made on their demands.
The Individual Farmers of Ireland (IFI) began the ‘No Farmers, No Food’ protest at the Musgraves distribution centre in Kilcock yesterday (Sunday, December 12).
Tractors, jeeps and other vehicles are parked along both sides of the approach roads to the centre, but the IFI said the main entrance to the site is not blocked.
Organisers claim that up to 100 vehicles from around 20 counties are currently at the site.
An Garda Síochána is also at the scene of the protest and traffic is being allowed pass along the road.
Protest access
IFI said that distribution centre staff are being allowed in and out of the site and some private lorry units were also facilitated to exit from the centre.
However, any trucks with food containers will not be allowed to access the facility; the IFI claimed that one lorry which arrived at the centre at 3:00a.m today (Monday, December 13) was blocked by protestors.
The IFI has claimed that Musgraves contacted the group through An Garda Síochána with some questions about the action; it’s believed that access for staff was among the questions.
Demands from protest
The IFI said that the protest will continue until there is some progress or commitments given on its list of demands.
“We are not going home empty-handed,” a spokesperson told Agriland.
“We can’t believe how many new people arrived this morning; there is a huge level of genuine support.
“This is the last stand. The government needs to wake up to the issues in farming and stop pushing them under the carpet. Unless profitability in farming improves, we are facing a wipeout,” the spokesperson added.
The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue is currently in Brussels for an Agriculture and Fisheries Council (AGRIFISH) meeting.
It is understood that the IFI has yet to make official contact with the minister’s office with its list of demands.
Emissions
The IFI is calling for the 35% carbon emissions figure attributed to the agriculture sector to be “corrected”.
The group said this is a “false figure” as it has not taken account of the carbon sequestered by grass, crops and hedgerows.
IFI also wants carbon tax on agri diesel to be cancelled until alternative fuels are available for the sector.
The IFI is unhappy that 25% of BPS payments will be ringfenced for eco-schemes.
“This is asking farmers to do more for the environment for less,” a spokesperson said.
The protest group said that reducing the slaughter age of beef cattle to 24 months “will destroy our grass-fed beef image”.
The IFI is also demanding the resignation of Green Party MEP Ciaran Cuffe.
The Midlands North West MEP recently wrote a letter to banks outlining his concerns about lending money to farmers, which the IFI has said would be “a disaster for the economy and rural Ireland”, if such an approach was adopted by lending institutions.
The MEP has since admitted that it was wrong to focus his attention on young farmers when the entire economy needs to work to reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Hauliers
Meanwhile, the Irish Truckers and Haulage Association Against Fuel Prices group is returning to Dublin again today as part of their protest over fuel prices.
Hauliers, truck drivers and commercial vehicle owners gathered in locations around the country this morning and are travelling in convoys along motorways into the city.
According to the group’s Facebook page, the hauliers may be headed to Dublin port, but if diversions prevent that the area around the quays may be blocked instead.
Gardaí said they are aware of a protest today (Monday, December 13) and advised motorists to expected delays as a result:
“There is a possibility of some traffic disruption during the peak hours on Monday morning due to a planned hauliers’ protest. The public is asked to plan for any necessary journeys on Monday and to use public transport, walking and cycling where possible.”
Several streets in Dublin city centre, including Kildare Street and Molesworth Street, have been closed in advance of the protest.
The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) has distanced itself from the protest action and retailers have also criticised how the action will impact on trade in the run up to Christmas.