A major urban/rural split has emerged within Fianna Fáil over the farm protest which is descending on Dublin.
Rural Fianna Fáil TDs yesterday came out strongly in support of the farmers, while Dublin deputies condemned the imminent disruption in the capital.
The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, has taken a tough line, questioning the IFA's claims of low incomes and condemning the imminent disruption in Dublin.
His position has been supported by a number of deputies who have had statements issued through the Fianna Fáil press office over the last three days.
However, there is serious opposition to his stance. Mr Michael Moynihan (Cork North West) said yesterday farmers were entitled to protest and every protest inconveniences somebody.
Mr Moynihan, a farmer, said there had been "ferocious" pressure on the farming community in recent years with the trends in world prices. He said the cheque in the post [EU subsidies] provides some compensation, but a lot of farmers feel under threat and concerned about the future.
Mr John Carty (Mayo) said farmers have taken a hammering in recent times. He said last year was particularly bad. "They feel they have to do this and they are doing it in strength."
Asked about the possible loss of goodwill among Dublin residents, he said: "I'm not up there. I'm sure the city people won't like it but if that's the way they have to do it, that's the way they have to do it."
Mr John Ellis (Sligo-Leitrim) said certain sectors of farming had serious problems, in particular those who were barely retaining their status as full-time farmers.
But he expressed reservations about the generalised nature of this protest, saying there should be "a focused approach by the IFA rather than a global approach". As for the disruption to Dublin, he said other organisations had brought the capital to a halt in the past.
Another farmer, Mr Ned O'Keeffe (Cork East), said he did not believe the protest would lead to an urban/rural divide. "I don't see that happening as urban people are very conscious of the downturn in farming. I sympathise in relation to the disruption on Friday but Dublin is the only place they can make their protest", he said, as it was where the Government and the Oireachtas were based.
Mr Tony Killeen (Clare) said he shared the concern over farm incomes but suspected the protest had more to do with the internal politics of farm organisations.
"I don't, personally, think this is the ideal way to try to make progress on farm incomes. I don't think it stands a chance of achieving very much so I am disposed to the view that it's really about farm organisations' politics."
Mr M.J. Nolan (Carlow-Kilkenny) also said he believed the farmers had a genuine case. "But I don't know if traffic disruption is the right way to make that case."
In contrast, Dublin deputies appear strongly opposed to the protest. Mr John Curran (Dublin Mid- West), Mr Eoin Ryan (Dublin South East) and Mr Sean Ardagh (Dublin South Central) called on the farmers to halt the protest before their tractors converged on Dublin. Their statements were all issued from Fianna Fáil's press office and had remarkably similar themes, such as the cost to Dublin business, the loss of the goodwill built up during the foot-and-mouth crisis and the burden on Garda resources.
"I do not believe that the farmers will gain any public support by bringing 300 tractors into Friday's traffic," said Mr Curran. "A protest will lead to major losses for businesses in the city centre which are not involved in this row."
Mr Ryan said farmers should not forget the support they received from the public, both rural and urban, during the foot- and-mouth crisis. "Once again the people of Dublin are being drawn into the frontline of a dispute that they have no part in," he said.
Mr Ardagh, the chairman of the Oireachtas Justice Committee, said the protest was clearly tying up Garda resources which would otherwise be involved in road safety and other essential duties.
"It is still not too late for the farmers to call off these unnecessary protests and accept the invitation from the Minister for Agriculture to enter into immediate talks about their grievances." he said.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party yesterday condemned "Fianna Fáil squabbling" over the protest, saying their conflicting statements were only adding to the urban/rural divide.
The party's agriculture spokeswoman, Ms Mary Upton, said comments from some backbenchers were challenging farmers' rights to protest under the law.
Socialist Party deputy Mr Joe Higgins also condemned the comments by Fianna Fáil's Mr Sean Ardagh yesterday, saying it was "despicable and hypocritical for a senior Government deputy to attempt to drive a wedge between urban and rural dwellers".