Sir, - The continued blockade of factories after the IFA has called off its protest raises some serious questions.
When bricklayers picketed sites to attempt to have Revenue and Health and Safety laws implemented they were physically shoved aside by gardai. Why are the farmers allowed to breach both civil and criminal laws? Have senior gardai decided that farmers are above the law?
If farmers don't pay the increased levy, either consumers or PAYE taxpayers will end up footing the bill. Ditto as regards any increase in the price paid to farmers.
Small farmers may well be in difficulty at the moment; the fault here lies at the door of the IFA. £2 billion a year is paid to farmers by European and Irish taxpayers but most of this goes to ranchers. The IFA represents the interests of the ranchers and uses the small farmers as cannon fodder.
So solve the dispute by redirecting EU and State aid to the small farmers. Meat plant workers and hauliers should be compensated by making deductions from EU payments to the ranchers. - Yours, etc.,
Pat Corcoran, Charles Street, Dublin 1.