Farmers and Government resume talks on partnership

PARTNERSHIP talks between farming groups and the Government resumed in Dublin yesterday.

It was the first meeting between both sides since last week's IFA tractorcade protests highlighting low farm incomes.

A continuous protest by the ICMSA outside Government Buildings was suspended yesterday to facilitate the discussions.

IFA president John Dillon said the partnership framework provided an ideal vehicle to address the low income situation in farming if there was sufficient political commitment from the Government to grasp the opportunity. He said a commitment by the Government of the necessary financial resources is essential to secure an agreement.

Mr Dillon said the IFA had been full social partners since the first national agreement in 1988. He expected the Government would want to maintain its partnership with the farming community in any new agreement.

ICMSA president Pat O'Rourke called on Taoiseach Bertie Ahern to give political and government direction to the partnership talks with the farming bodies. Mr O'Rourke said the ICMSA National Council is extremely disappointed and deplore the actions and attitude of Agriculture and Food Minister Joe Walsh toward farmers in recent times.

He said he had written to the Taoiseach yesterday seeking a meeting with him so that the ICMSA can get first hand assurances of government action to seriously address the income crisis in farming.

Mr O’Rourke said the attitude of Minister Walsh in recent times has done serious damage to the process of negotiation: "I and the ICMSA team will approach the renewed phase of the discussions in a constructive fashion. However, the Taoiseach must now intervene to give the clarification that is required."

ICSA president Charlie Reilly said the real solution to the farm income crisis cannot be found within the narrow confines of social partnership, which won't solve farm income problems: "There are no proposals to give farmers the same 7% pay rise in 2003 that has been tabled for all other workers."

Mr Reilly said Minister Walsh, as well as the IFA and the ICMSA, must face up to the reality of CAP reform.

Late last night, the talks ended with the ICMSA saying progress had been made.