Report recommends radical steps to address west’s problems

RADICAL measures are needed to address the problems facing the rural economy in the West of Ireland, according to a report presented to the Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

The report was compiled by Sinn Féin spokesperson Martin Ferris TD, following consultations with farming and fishing interests from West Cork to Donegal.

He said one of the surprising things to emerge from the survey, conducted at marts across the west during the summer, was the high level of pessimism expressed by farmers about their future.