IFA chief warns Taoiseach: don’t take us for granted

THE new president of the Irish Farmers Association had a blunt message for Taoiseach Bertie Ahern yesterday on social partnership - “don’t take us for granted.”

Padraig Walshe issued the warning in his inaugural address as leader at the IFA’s annual general meeting in Dublin. He said the IFA’s involvement in social partnership and its support for it, is conditional on a fair allocation of national resources.

“It is also conditional on a properly-funded programme to strengthen the competitiveness of Irish agriculture in response to cuts under the CAP reform and the damaging WTO agreement.”