Businessmen condemn farmers' tractorcade

Businessmen in Dublin tonight condemned a protest by farmers which threatens traffic chaos in the city later this week following the arrival of hundreds of tractors.

As many as 1,500 of the farm vehicles are converging on Dublin to join a demonstration by the Irish Farmer’s Association against Government policies.

Tractors began heading towards the capital from outlying parts of the country yesterday.

They were being joined by more each day in a protest ultimately set to embrace all 32 counties.

The IFA says the Government’s policies are threatening the future of the industry and have demanded “a positive move” to boost farm incomes.

But Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh has told farmers that they must shoulder their responsibility to maximise returns from the marketplace.

Business leaders called for garda moves to prevent the major traffic delays expected when the farmers reach Dublin on Friday.

The Dublin City Business Association said it deplored “this irresponsible action organised by the IFA“, and warned that the result would be traffic snarl-ups “impeding those who need mobility to carry out their work“.

It also criticised a decision by Dublin City Council to exempt farmers from paying parking charges in the venue of Friday’s rally, near the Dáil.

A spokesman said: “The rule of law should not be selective with enforcement on a daily basis for two million Dubliners and set aside for farmers.”

All sectors of society had “taken pain in the last Budget” a month ago in order to tackle the current economic downturn, he added.

Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny urged Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to intervene with the farming bodies to start a “constructive dialogue” to head off traffic disruption.