It would be “naive” to think the “present politically uncertain situation” is having no effect on Ireland’s ability to influence the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) negotiations.
This is according to the president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers’ Association (ICMSA) Pat McCormack who warned that others “will use the vacuum against the interests of Irish farming”.
McCormack outlined: “Farmers do not doubt the energy and skill with which Varadkar will present Ireland’s case.
However, other stakeholders – particularly the so-called ‘Frugal Four’ – are aware of our domestic situation and will push against our proposals safe in the knowledge that Varadkar cannot be in a position to state that Ireland’s position is fixed and immovable into any future timeline.
“That’s just a fact – the others know where we are in terms of forming a Government,” McCormack stressed.
“They will calculate that it’s in their interests to ‘front-load’ the arguments around CAP and get the kind of reductions they seek while Ireland is still working out a governing coalition.
“The reality would apply just as obviously in reverse.
“If the Dutch were flailing around trying to form a coalition government and we knew it would oppose what we wanted, then we’d do the same thing.
“It’s a real problem for Irish farmers who cannot – and will not – accept reductions in their present levels of payments.”
Concluding, McCormack said: “The ICMSA wants the talks around possible coalitions sped up in the interests of Ireland’s multi-billion euro farm and food sector.”