FIANNA FÁIL GALWAY LAUNCH:IRISH FARMERS who have benefited by €41 billion from EU transfers should reconsider their opposition to the Lisbon Treaty, Fianna Fáil politicians said in Galway yesterday.
Speaking at the Galway launch of the party's Lisbon Treaty campaign, Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Eamon Ó Cuív criticised the "negative lever" farming organisations were using in relation to the World Trade Organisation talks.
"Farming organisations would be much better off supporting the Lisbon Treaty and working with other member states," he said, adding that he "couldn't understand" the approach of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) on the treaty campaign in relation to the WTO negotiations.
The IFA has threatened to withhold support for the treaty if EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson does not protect farmers' interests at the WTO talks in Geneva this month.
"Good relations with other countries means they will often go the extra mile in support of us," Mr Ó Cuív said. He reiterated the Government was working hard to "protect vital national interests", and said he intended to introduce a €425 million rural development programme for 2008-2013 in the next week.
Fianna Fáil TD for Galway West Frank Fahey said the IFA was being "foolhardy" when some "€41 billion has gone into farmers' pockets" since EU accession.
"This treaty has nothing to do with the WTO, and Irish agriculture will be hit if we give out the wrong signals."
Mr Fahey said Fine Gael MEP Gay Mitchell had "probably made the most important point" in the campaign to date when he said the Lisbon Treaty was "as much about China as about Europe" in allowing Europe to compete against the emerging economies of China and India.