Lowry opposes publishing names

A PROPOSAL by EU Agricultural Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel to establish a website to detail the names and amounts of money each farmer in Ireland receives under the Single Farm Payment and Rural Environment Protection Scheme must be opposed by the Government.

That’s the view of Independent TD Michael Lowry, who said the “transparency gone mad” proposal amounts to a gross invasion of privacy for farmers.

“The commissioner’s proposal would mean that anyone could access a website which would list the payments made to all Irish farmers under the Single Farm Payment scheme. She is claiming this is in the interests of transparency in the CAP.”