Roche invitation not our fault, say Limerick IFA

“WE didn’t invite him”, said Limerick IFA officials last week, when angry farmers demanded to know why Environment Minister Dick Roche TD - now Public Enemy No 1 for farmers -- was invited to and attended a lavish function to celebrate the IFA presidency of John Dillon.

Limerick IFA Chairman Michael Roche has disassociated his County Executive from the Minister’s attendance.

He told a Limerick IFA meeting that they were not involved in organising the function at the South Court Hotel, Limerick, attended by several hundred people last December.

Opponents of the Nitrates Directive believe Minister Roche has overstated the amount of water pollution in Ireland, and rushed through unfair legislation last December, which will - according to IFA President Padraig Walshe - undermine the competitiveness of Irish agriculture.

When the Environment Minister arrived in to Limerick two weeks ago to present an efficiency quality award at the Mulgrave Street Fire Station, he was surrounded by angry farmers, led by IFA’s national treasurer Ruaidhri Deasy and Limerick chairman Mike Roche, protesting against the directive.