There has been across-the-board condemnation of the proposals for the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, which were officially published in Brussels yesterday.
Opposition was led by the Minister for Agriculture, who described the proposals as totally unacceptable. Mr Walsh said he would reserve detailed comments until all aspects of the proposals had been studied.
However, he said he would set out Ireland's opposition to the proposals in the clearest terms at a special meeting of the Council of Ministers on March 30th.
The Irish Farmers' Association claimed the proposals would cost Irish agriculture ú250 million or a 12.5 per cent cut in net income. Its deputy president, Mr John Dillon, said no Irish minister for agriculture could accept such cuts.
Mr Frank Allen, president of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association, said the cuts would be disastrous for Irish farmers, the food sector and the rural economy.
The president of the Irish Cooperative Organisation Society, Mr Michael O'Dwyer, said the proposals discriminated against Ireland. Mr Albert Thompson, chairman of the ICSA, which represents drystock farmers, said the proposed cut in beef supports was far too severe for Irish producers, who were at the bottom of the price league.
Maol Muire Tynan adds:
The Opposition has strongly urged the Government to put an immediate strategy in place to minimise the effect of the proposals.
The Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, suggested that the Government publish a 10-year plan for Irish food and farming. "The adjustment that the people in these industries must make, to adapt to a consumer-driven market after 25 years of politically-driven policies, will be vast and painful."
The Labour Party's agriculture spokesman, Mr Willie Penrose, called on the Taoiseach to allow Dβil time next week to debate the proposals. He said the cuts in premiums, area aid and compensation would bring Irish agriculture back to pre-1970s levels.
The Democratic Left leader, Mr Proinsias De Rossa, demanded that the Government take steps to ensure the proposals did not undermine economic progress.