Sinn Féin has called on Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue to meet with organisations representing sheep farmers on the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR).

Claire Kerrane, the party’s spokesperson on agriculture, wants the minister to engage with sheep farmers to find ways that funding under the BAR could be used to support them.

According to Kerrane, the minister has already said that the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine could not find a link to demonstrate how Brexit has affected the Irish sheep sector, which is a requirement before funding can be used.

However, Kerrane said that organisations representing sheep farmers “have been clear” about the impact Brexit has had on the sector, and the need for support.

“I am calling on Minister McConalogue to review how the BAR can be used to provide much-needed supports to Irish sheep farmers,” the Roscommon-Galway TD said.

She added: “I have raised this matter with the minister, and he stated that it is not possible as his department cannot demonstrate how Brexit has impacted the sheep sector.

“Yet, in a [Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine] meeting, we had the opportunity to hear from the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association (ICSA) on the impact Brexit has had on the sheep sector and the crisis that sheep farmers continue to face,” Kerrane said.

“[The ICSA] stated that Britain’s new post-Brexit trade deal with New Zealand and the increase in imports from New Zealand will add a potential further 35,000t under a tariff rate quota.

“They also pointed out that Irish sheep farmers are at a competitive disadvantage with British farmers on important EU markets, such as France, when it comes to sheepmeat exports,” the Sinn Féin spokesperson added.

Kerrane said she finds it “difficult to believe” that there is no link between Brexit and the financial situation in the sheep sector.

“We are hearing from sheep farmers themselves about the dire situation they are facing which is, in part, compounded by these Brexit-related factors,” she commented.

“Given the minister’s remarks on the issue to date, and the fact he appears indifferent to the very obvious implications of Brexit on the sheep sector, I am calling on him to meet with organisations representing the sheep sector, to gain insights and look to establish a case for using the BAR to provide crucial supports.”

“We know the sheep sector is facing a crisis and action must be taken to support sheep farmers. I am calling on the minister to do everything he can to ensure those much-needed supports are delivered and to do so via BAR, rather than sending unspent money for agriculture back to Europe,” Kerrane said.