The president of the Irish Farmers’ Association’s (IFA) Francie Gorman addressed county councillors in his native Co. Laois today (Monday, February 26) on the current challenges facing farmers.
Gorman joined the latest demonstration as part of the IFA’s ‘Enough is Enough’ campaign organised by Laois IFA.
Around 50 tractors, led by Laois IFA chair John Fitzpatrick, arrived outside the local authority offices in Portlaoise to coincide with the monthly meeting of county councillors.
“We came in to meet the local councillors, but we asked farmers to come in on their tractors, park at the local county hall and we just circulated then around the main entrance.
“We met the county councillors outside and we asked to address the councillors at their monthly meeting in the council chambers.
“We were granted that permission and the farmers then were able to come in to the public gallery in the council chambers,” Fitzpatrick told Agriland.
The IFA president and the Laois IFA chair were both afforded the opportunity to address the councillors before a question and answer session.
“It proved to be very successful. What we were trying to do was make the local county councillors aware of our frustration and the importance of agriculture in the local areas and in the local communities.
“Any points that we wanted to make we made them and we made them very strongly. We felt we had a very good morning’s work,” Fitzpatrick said.
“Every councillor spoke in our favour, spoke of their support. Some of the councillors are farmers themselves so they know exactly what the feeling on the ground is,” he added.
The councillors were asked to consider passing a resolution at the next council meeting to officially support the IFA campaign.
As the local elections loom, the Laois IFA chair said that the farm organisation’s campaign focusing on councillors will continue around the country.
“It’s frustration that has us here today. We want to farm.
“When the Covid struck, we were one of the essential services. There was panic buying and all the shelves were clear within a couple of days. That’s how important agriculture is.
“We want to continue producing food, what we do best, and we will do it in the environmentally sustainable way,” Fitzpatrick said.
He said that there is a huge administrative burden being placed on farmers through various policies, while farmers have been annoyed by delays in scheme payments.
IFA
Meanwhile, IFA members brought their tractors to Cork Airport this morning as part of the association’s ‘Enough is Enough’ campaign.
Chair of Cork Central IFA Mathew Hurley told Agriland that the tractor convoy went to the airport to highlight “the unfairness” of Dublin Airport seeking to grow passenger numbers by 25%, while farmers must cut their emissions by the same amount.
A spokesperson for Cork Airport said: “Like Ireland’s farming community, Dublin Airport Authority (daa) is playing its part in the national and global effort to address climate change”.
Once the demonstration outside the airport concluded the tractor convoy made its way to Cork County Hall where the farmers delivered a letter to Cork county councillors.
The letter lists the grievances of farmers and calls on councillors to back the IFA campaign.
IFA Munster Regional Chair Conor O’Leary also addressed the crowd outside Cork County Hall.