Farmers protest over freeze on payments

MEMBERS of the Irish Farmers’ Association protested in Limerick and Dublin over the weekend on two separate issues, a freeze on Rural Environment Protection Scheme payments and low-cost selling by supermarkets.

A rally at the offices of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in Raheen, Limerick, yesterday was in solidarity with a sit-in protest by Donal O’Brien, a farmer from Castletown, Pallaskenry, over the non-issue of REPS payments.

IFA president Pádraig Walshe said the protest was not surprising in view of the anger among farmers whose REPS payments are being held up until the end of the year.

He said cash-flow problems are emerging on farms where the payments have been withheld and called on Minister Mary Coughlan to resolve the issue.

Ms Coughlan, in a written Dáil reply, said there are still questions to be resolved with the European Commission regarding the processing of payments in REPS 2, REPS 3 and REPS 4 and whether the previous practice of making upfront payments to all REP scheme participants at the start of the contract year can be continued.

Meanwhile, IFA members protested in Dublin on Saturday after claims that potato growers are getting as little as 20% of the retail supermarket price for their supplies.

Mr Walshe said all the main supermarket groups are charging €1.59/kg for loose potatoes while farmers get as little as 30c/kg.