Tractors from every county will take part in the Irish Farmers' Association's national protest which will begin on Monday in Bantry, Co Cork.
The 85,000-strong organisation plans to bring at least 300 tractors to Dublin city over the week beginning January 6th, to arrive in Dublin city centre on January 10th. The protest is being held to highlight the drop in farm incomes and the perceived lack of Government support for farm families.
Despite the fact that the IFA, led by its president, Mr John Dillon, resumed talks on a new national agreement with the Government yesterday, an IFA spokesman said the protest would go ahead.
While there will be a number of mustering points for the drive on Dublin in the main provincial centres, the focus of the protest will begin in Bantry on Monday morning.
A convoy of tractors will drive to Clonakilty, Co Cork, hometown of the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, where a rally protesting over his handling of farm issues will be held.
The convoy will then proceed to Dublin, joining up with other groups which will have been travelling through the week for the Dublin rally.
The IFA will announce details of the protest on Thursday in Dublin, including the five locations where the tractors will park on Thursday night on the outskirts of Dublin to prepare for the rally in Dublin city centre the next day.
The convoy plans to move through the city centre on Friday morning, and the tractors will join up for the main rally at Government Buildings at Merrion Square on Friday lunchtime.
Other farming groups are expected to take part in the protest, which was announced before Christmas.
Mr Pat O'Rourke, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association president, said farmers could not hope to recoup the losses of 9 per cent they suffered this year.
"I am today putting the Government, and particularly the Minister for Agriculture and Food, Mr Walsh, on notice that farmers are demanding Government action both at home and in Brussels to improve their income in 2003."