Farm bonanza through EU membership

THERE have been huge benefits for agriculture from European Union membership, a government minister said yesterday.

Minister of State Liam Aylward, speaking at Virginia Show, Co Cavan, said that from a purely agriculture perspective, Ireland had benefited in terms of its direct and unrestricted access to an internal market of more than 320 million consumers and in the supports provided for the market for agricultural products over the years.

“Over 32 billion has been channelled through the CAP to Ireland since our accession to the EU some thirty years ago,” he said. Mr Aylward said the benefits showed that smaller member States were fairly treated.