Kerry county councillors have today (Monday, March 11) unanimously backed an emergency motion offering their support to farmers.
The motion was raised as members of the Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) in Kerry gathered outside Kerry County Council offices in Tralee ahead of the monthly meeting of the local authority.
Around 20 farmers and several tractors took part in the demonstration as part of the latest phase of the IFA’s ‘Enough is Enough’ campaign.
Similar demonstrations targeting county council meetings have been taking place around the country in recent weeks and are set to continue up to the local elections in June.
Kerry county councillors agreed to suspend standing orders during their meeting to allow time for the emergency motion tabled by Fine Gael councillors Mike Foley and Mike Kennelly.
They called on their fellow councillors to support the IFA campaign, recognise the significant contribution of farming to the Irish and local economy and acknowledge the increased costs and regulations facing farmers.
Cllr. Foley told the meeting that over 14% of people living in Kerry are involved in jobs related to agriculture.
He said that current regulations are impacting all farmers with producers being “penalised rather than protected”.
Cllr Kennelly added that Ireland is “losing farmers right, left and centre due to increased costs”.
He also called for an urgent review of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) which he said had moved away from supporting food production towards reducing farm output.
Members of Kerry IFA, including county chair Kenny Jones, were present in the council chamber as the motion received cross party support.
Councillors, many of whom are IFA members, highlighted “over-the-top bureaucracy and regulations” placed on farmers.
They spoke about the low prices paid to farmers, along with difficulties for farm families in securing planning permission for homes on their own lands.
Kerry
Independent councillor and farmer Johnny Healy-Rae told the meeting that “farmers are killed with white wellingtons coming into their yards” for inspections.
Independent Cllr Brendan Cronin said that he is now just one of two dairy farmers in his townland where there once was ten.
He said that farmers are “soft targets” who are being “continuously targeted” by “supposed environmentalists” and the media.
Independent Cllr Dan McCarthy, who is also the manager of Kenmare Mart, pointed to the fact that the prices for some Friesian bull calves are now less than a box of cigarettes.
Cathaoirleach of Kerry County Council Cllr Jim Finucane, who used to help on a farm in north Kerry when he was a child, said that farmers are the true custodians of the environment and heritage.
The Fine Gael councillor said that the quality of Irish food is second to none, but to attain that quality seems to come with penalties.
He said that the government will have to examine what efforts can be made to help the sector.
Kerry IFA chair Kenny Jones told Agriland that he was delighted with the support from councillors, some of whom gave the delegation a standing ovation.
He said that the sector has been “nearly brought to its knees” by the level of bureaucracy placed on farmers.
“We have scheme after scheme that are so complicated now and over burdened with red tape, it’s nearly impossible for the farmer to access his money.
“As our campaign says ‘Enough is Enough’ and we’re appealing to the council here to move it up along the line to TDs that they would be in contact with to highlight our frustrations,” Jones said.