Former president of the Irish Farmers Association John Dillon confirmed last night that he had agreed to serve on an advisory committee to the Environmental Protection Agency "for the good of Irish farmers".
The outspoken farm leader said he wanted to scotch rumours that he had accepted a post on the board of the EPA, a rumour which he said had been in wide circulation.
"I understand there has been and probably will be criticism of me for this, especially from pig farmers but all I want to say to those people who clearly do not understand, I will never, never, never sell out Irish farmers," he said last night.
The Co Limerick farmer who led the IFA until January last said he had been approached by Minister for the Environment Dick Roche a few weeks after he had stepped down as IFA president, to serve on the committee.
The position is unpaid but expenses are paid to committee members for attending meetings, which are held four times a year, he said. The meetings would allow him to hear what was going on at EPA level in relation to farming, Mr Dillon added.
"As IFA leader we have been trying to get on such advisory committees for some time. We were kept off the fishing one and my friends advised me that it would be beneficial to be on this committee," he said.
The appointment has come at a very controversial time. The IFA pulled out of talks on a new national agreement over the Government's handling of the EU Nitrates Directive.