The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) has said that it hopes that a change of Taoiseach may result in a “change of direction” for the government’s policy on agriculture.
ICMSA president Denis Drennan was reacting to the announcement today (Wednesday, March 20) from Leo Varadkar that he would resign as Taoiseach and leader of Fine Gael.
The Taoiseach announced that he would resign as leader of his party immediately, and will stay on as Taoiseach until his successor as Fine Gael leader is determined in the coming weeks.
Speaking to Agriland, Drennan said that the Taoiseach regularly made himself available to meet with farm organisations.
“All you can do is thank him for his service to the country. In fairness to him as Taoiseach or as Tánaiste, he was always available to meet the farm organisations,” Drennan said.
He added: “We always had an annual meeting with him and he would have attended our AGM (annual general meeting) on numerous occasions. As recently as the day I actually got elected president of ICMSA he attended our AGM, and stayed for a question and answer session with all members that were present in the room.”
However, Drennan indicated that, despite the Taoiseach’s availability to meet, it wasn’t clear if those meetings had any impact.
“Behind all that he might have been available to us but I’m not sure he was listening to us, because the current government policies are really undermining farming, and you’d hope that if there is a new leader elected there might be a change in direction of the government.
“As farmers we can do a lot for the environment and for the economy of the country but we need support to help us to do it and not to be regulated out of existence,” Drennan said.
Similar sentiments were expressed by Cork South-West TD Michael Collins, who said the resignation of the Taoiseach “must lead to an urgent re-examination of the major policy disconnect fostered by his and previous governments”.
“While at a human level it is clear the Taoiseach has taken a painful and emotional decision, it is also clear that his term in office will be seen as one that oversaw a sense of growing distance from the ordinary bread-and-butter concerns of the majority of the population,” Collins said.
“Unfortunately, the plain fact of the matter is that Leo Varadkar was never seen by rural communities as a leader that was on their side.
“His government and indeed the last government have overseen a series of relentlessly antagonistic policies that have left a legacy of bitterness and frustration within those communities,” Collins added.
Collins, who is leader of the new Independent Ireland party, said that the approach of the current government “must be reversed”.
“We need a complete step-change in how government governs. Indeed, the new Taoiseach, whoever he or she is, must radically reverse the current attitude of talking down to people and legislating from on-high.” the Cork South-West TD added.