Efforts to develop new international market opportunities for the sheep farmers “will not be worth the paper they are written on” in the absence of urgent action to secure the viability of the national sector, according to a TD.
Independent deputy Carol Nolan, who represents the Laois-Offaly constituency, recently met with several farming organisations to discuss the ongoing crisis in the sector.
She said the meetings focused on “the ongoing price pressures and razor-thin margins that sheep farmers are facing as they battle to survive every day of the week”.
The TD said that any international market opportunities for sheep farmers are “redundant” without a vibrant domestic sector.
“One of the explicit goals of Food Vision 2030 is securing market access and diversifying trade and market opportunities at home and abroad for Irish farmers.
“Many of the sheep farmers I am engaging with however are rapidly losing faith in their capacity to respond to any such opportunities that may arise simply because they are struggling to maintain operations locally from one week to the next,” she said.
Nolan said that Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue must prioritise the roll-out of “direct supports that will keep our sheep farmers operating”.
“In particular he must address how we reduce the burdens that have arisen from the 40% increase in input costs that have landed like a financial grenade within the sector.
“Irish sheep and lamb are a world-class premium product that is in huge demand generating approximately €400 million/year.
“The government and this minister simply cannot allow that trade to be undermined by its apparent determination to adopt a penny-wise but pound foolish approach to the future of the Irish sheep sector,” Deputy Nolan said.