The new president of the Irish Farmers Association has accused the Catholic bishops of ignorance and naivety over their support for reforms to the EU Common Agricultural Policy (Cap).
Pádraig Walshe also attacked some of the bishops, Oxfam and Trócaire for being "fellow travellers" of critics of the Cap and claimed the latter two organisations had destroyed the Irish sugar industry.
In the past year, the Cap had been subjected to an onslaught of criticism led by Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and their "agent in Brussels", EU commissioner Peter Mandelson, Mr Walshe told the IFA's agm yesterday.
"Their fellow travellers in Ireland - Oxfam, Trócaire and, disappointingly, some of the Catholic bishops - preach the same misinformation. We know that this criticism is unfair, simplistic and self-serving."
Mr Walshe rejected the accusation that Irish farmers had damaged or hurt poor farmers in Africa. EU policy had supported these farmers by giving them full duty-free access at European prices.
"This point was totally missed by Oxfam and Trócaire in their campaigns against the EU sugar regime. They have succeeded in destroying the Irish sugar industry."
Later, he told journalists the bishops and aid agencies were "naive" because they did not understand the issue. "It's naive to comment on issues you know very little about."
His criticisms were rejected last night by a spokesman for the bishops, who described Mr Walshe's comments as selective. Martin Long said it was made clear at last month's episcopal meeting that each bishop was entitled to his own opinions on the issue, with some being in more agreement with the IFA than others.
Oxfam insisted there was a problem with EU agriculture policies that required reform. "We wish the IFA, rather than continually denying there is a problem, would recognise the problems caused by dumping of European produce in poor countries," said Colin Roche.
Massive over-production of sugar in the EU and its subsequent dumping led to changes in the sugar regime, Mr Roche said, and not opposition from aid agencies.
A Trócaire spokeswoman said: "Contrary to what Mr Walshe has claimed, Trócaire does not oppose the IFA's position on the sugar industry. The reform of the sugar regime had a negative impact on producers in the poorest countries and we stated this at the time of the reform proposals."
Elsewhere in his inaugural speech, Mr Walshe warned the Government not to take farmers' support for social partnership for granted.
"Our involvement in and support for social partnership is conditional on a fair allocation of national resources. It is also conditional on a properly funded programme to strengthen the competitiveness of Irish agriculture in response to the cuts under Cap reform and the damaging World Trade Organisation agreement."
Mr Walshe called on the Government to set up a high-level working group, to include the IFA to co-ordinate Ireland's involvement in the continuing WTO trade talks.
