Thousands of Irish dairy farmers will converge on Dublin city centre later today and on Thursday to protest at cuts in the price they are being paid for their milk.
Today it is the turn of the Irish Farmers' Association, which will stage its rally outside the EU offices in Kildare Street following a march from Merrion Square.
The 4,000 farmers who are expected to attend will assemble at Merrion Square at 11 a.m. and will march to Kildare Street via Molesworth Street, where they will hold a rally outside the EU offices.
On Thursday, as the Dáil resumes, the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association will hold a protest rally at the gates of Leinster House where they will be seeking Government action to support milk prices.
The dairy sector has been largely untroubled by the recent food scares of the past decade, and incomes had been growing until last year.
The Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers say income for a 40,000-gallon producer will fall this year from €25,500 in 2001 to €20,500 because of the cuts.
A slowdown in international markets, competition from non-EU countries and a general slump in demand have seen the price farmers receive for their milk tumble from a historic high of £1.27 per gallon last year to less than £1 (28c/litre) per gallon this month.
Despite several increases in EU export refunds for dairy products and intervention for dairy products, the prices paid to farmers for their product continue to drop.
Currently, 60 per cent of milk produced by the farmers is being purchased by processors for less than 28c per litre.
Encouraging farmers to attend the rally today, the Irish Farmers' Association president, Mr John Dillon, said dairy farmers were facing a situation where they would be driven out of business if they failed to protect their incomes.
"Europe has pursued the quota route and tight supply management. We must now defend that position on world markets, and the EU Commission must meet a drastic situation with drastic action," he said.
He called on the EU to lift the EU intervention price to provide a floor price for milk of 28c/litre (£1 per gallon).