Members of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) are currently taking off from the association’s headquarters in Bluebell, Dublin, and from other locations, for a convoy of tractors and machinery through the heart of the capital.
The convoy, which will be led by IFA president Tim Cullinan, is set to make towards the city centre around now, and will arrive at Merrion Square, right beside government buildings, at around 2:00p.m.
It is planned that Cullinan will give an address at that time, before the convoy makes its way out of the city at around 3:00p.m.
Originally, it was planned that a rally would take place, with farmers and participants gathering around Merrion Square. However, due to the worsening Covid-19 case numbers, this was scaled back so that there would be no large gathering of people.
Speaking last night ahead of the protest today, Cullinan said: “Every policy of this Government, including its proposed National Strategic Plan to implement the Common Agricultural Policy [CAP] is designed to reduce production. Farmers are being asked to do more and more for less.
“We have consistently called for genuine engagement and negotiation with farm organisations to develop a farm-level plan that farmers can work towards achieving. To date, nothing has been forthcoming,” he claimed.
He continued: “All farmers have received is empty rhetoric and lofty targets with nothing to back them up. Uncertainty is detrimental for any business; farming is no different. Farmers are reaching the end of their tether.”
The IFA president stressed that farmers are conscious of climate change and want to play their part, but that farmers were “being talked at rather than talked to”.
“The government needs to provide more funding, including a properly-funded CAP, to ensure farmers can take on climate change while remaining viable,” Cullinan argued.
“Currently, only 30% of farmers in Ireland are viable, and the government’s policies will make more family farms unviable. The farming and food sector employs 300,000 people across the country, and we contributed €13 billion in exports in 2020. We will not be ignored or pushed aside,” he highlighted.
Cullinan concluded: “Farming is a business activity, and farmers will not stay at it unless they can make a profit and make a living for their families.”