Island communities in peril, warns IFA

ISLAND communities will seriously decline unless positive Government action is taken to ensure their economic survival, the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) warned yesterday.

The association’s president, Padraig Walshe, was speaking at a meeting with representatives of IFA island branches in Dublin and with Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Eamon Ó Cuiv, as well as Department of Agriculture and Food officials.

He said that under the various farm schemes covered by the Rural Development Plan recognition must be given to the fact that the cost of the participation of 500 island farmers is more costly compared to their mainland counterparts.

The proposed additional increase in REPS 4 of 15% is a welcome development and it will certainly improve the uptake of the scheme on the offshore islands.

Mr Walshe said that this move must now be followed by a number of other initiatives for island farmers.

These include increased disadvantaged area payments, increases in standard costings for necessary environmental work, support for energy crops and freight subsidies.

Mr Walshe said island farmers should get special status under farm schemes and other rural development initiatives.

“This is necessary to ensure a level playing pitch for island communities as they are seriously disadvantaged compared to their mainland counterparts,” he said.