Yesterday’s protest in Dublin organised by the Beef Plan Movement “needs to be the beginning of a rural revival”, according to a Roscommon-Galway TD.
Michael Fitzmaurice has commended the organisers for ‘sowing the seed’ and encouraging supporters to attend the march.
Commenting after the event – where thousands of farmers from all over the country descended on the capital – the Roscommon-Galway TD said: “This needs to be the beginning of a rural revival.
For too long we have been listening to the bureaucrats and the so-called experts telling us how to live our lives in rural Ireland.
“It is now time for people to come together and present a united front.
“It was heartening to see the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) supporting the Beef Plan protest yesterday.
“We need everyone singing from the one hymn sheet if we are to overcome the many challenges currently facing us.
‘Clear Message’
Fitzmaurice noted that yesterday’s gathering of farmers in Dublin sent “a clear message” to this Government.
Since being elected to the Dail, this is the standout protest I have witnessed in Dublin organised for the benefit of rural and farming communities.
“A clear message was sent yesterday: People are fed up of the shenanigans that goes on in propping up this Government.”
Fitzmaurice questioned: “Is there an agenda to try and drive meat production out of Europe because it is perceived as being carbon intensive?
“One would have to wonder if this is the agenda being pursued by our own Government and Europe.
Do they not realise that almost 100,000 families are involved in beef and suckler farming in Ireland?
“These farm families support schools, shops, feed merchants, hardware stores, GPs, vets as well as a variety of other businesses in rural communities.
“By decimating the beef sector, an extensive network of people – from all types of backgrounds – will be affected.”
Concluding, Fitzmaurice stressed: “At the moment, everyone is talking about the climate and the measures that we will need to take but the first thing we need to talk about is how we are going to preserve and look after our rural communities.”