IFA returns as farming talks continue

NEGOTIATIONS on the farming agenda in the social partnership talks continued at Government Buildings in Dublin yesterday for the second successive day.

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) returned to the talks on Thursday, having withdrawn from the process last February in protest at the Government’s handling of the nitrates issue.

Macra na Feirme and ICOS also left the talks at the same time for similar reasons, but later resumed their participation. The ICMSA remained within the process at all times.

Speaking before the IFA returned to talks, president Padraig Walshe said with the progress made on the nitrates issue, the association would make every effort to get a substantial agreement for agriculture.

After the first full day of negotiations on agriculture, Mr Walshe said the IFA agenda was now fully on the table and proper Government funding for the various farm schemes was now a core issue.

Mr Walshe said the rapid growth of the Irish economy meant the West of Ireland and the Border and Midlands region would lose objective one status and consequently EU transfers would decline.

“The Government is well aware that in high income countries like Austria, Finland and Sweden, national governments bear a much greater share of rural development spending than we have done in Ireland in the past, when we were benefiting from EU funds,” he said.