Farmers vent anger at Budget cuts

THE LIVELIHOODS of 20,000 farmers from the west of Ireland have been put in jeopardy by Government funding cutbacks, it was claimed yesterday at a mass rally in Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim.

Over 6,000 farmers, led by a cavalcade of 30 tractors, crossed the Shannon and the Roscommon/ Leitrim border to a rally in the centre of the town, where IFA president Padraig Walshe warned the Government: "We will not go away."

Mr Walshe said cuts to the disadvantaged areas, suckler welfare, early retirement and start-up schemes would take €40 million a year out of the economy of the west and northwest region.

Farmers from across the region took 40 minutes to cross the bridge in what the IFA described as a massive show of strength in their battle against Budget cuts.

Mr Walshe told the crowd that the cuts were the equivalent of taking 1,200 jobs out of the west and northwest. He said the 25 per cent cut in disadvantaged area payment alone would take €1,000 from the most vulnerable in the sector. "Fianna Fáil have always claimed to represent the ordinary people of the west of Ireland, including farmers, but this Budget tells a different story," Mr Walshe said. "Fianna Fáil has forgotten its roots. They have let down the west of Ireland."

Michael Silke, the IFA's Connacht vice-president, told the crowd that many of them would see their income drop by €5,000 next year.

MEPs Marian Harkin (Ind) and Jim Higgins (FG) addressed the rally but there were jeers when the crowd heard that Fianna Fáil MEP Seán O Neachtain had sent apologies. Mr Higgins said people had thought agriculture in Ireland was secure "when we got rid of Peter Mandelson", but he added that "our own Minister for Agriculture is worse than Peter Mandelson".

Among those marching yesterday were Co Roscommon farmer and local Fine Gael councillor Ernie Keenan, who said farmers in his county would lose €4 million. "The Government tried to bury us several times but this time they have dug the hole," he said.

Another Roscommon farmer, Edmund Farry from Cootehall, said there was huge anger in the farming community. "If they get away with this there will be more cutbacks," he said.

Cyril Feeney from Easkey, Co Sligo, said a lot of farmers had made investments on the basis of the suckler welfare scheme, which had been introduced only a year ago and had now been halved with the stroke of a pen. "We are getting exactly the same prices for livestock and milk as our fathers and grandfathers got 30 years ago," he said.

Brendan Queenan, chairman of Easkey IFA, said he had never seen such anger among farmers, many of whom would not now have the option of getting off-farm jobs to supplement their income.

He said farmers have to pay €2.50 to get a sheep sheared and only get €2 for the sheep's wool.