IFA accuses Blair of misrepresentation
Yesterday the IFA accused British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown of seriously misrepresenting the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
IFA leader John Dillon told EU Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel and Minister Mary Coughlan as well as Irish agri-business leaders at a function in Dublin that this is a small price to pay for supporting the European farming and food industry.
Mr Dillon, speaking at an IFA-AIB dinner at the Four Seasons Hotel to mark the Association’s golden jubilee, said that while the Irish economy has made great strides in recent years, the agriculture sector remains the country’s largest indigenous industry.
The gross value added of the agriculture and food sector is over €8 billion, representing almost 20% of Ireland’s net foreign earnings.
Total direct employment in agriculture, forestry and food processing comes to 182,000 jobs or 12% of the non-government workforce.
“These jobs and earnings are the backbone of Ireland’s rural economy,” he said, claiming that Gordon Brown misses that point.
“Without the CAP and a vibrant agriculture, Europe’s rural economy and the agri-food sector would be devastated, especially in countries like Ireland,” he said.
Mr Dillon said that in earlier discussions with Ms Fischer Boel, he had left her in no doubt of the IFA’s position on a number of vital issues such as a commitment to a viable outcome for Ireland in the EU sugar reform.
The IFA is to hold beet growers meetings at the Hibernian Hotel, Mallow, on Monday night and at the Dolmen Hotel, Carlow, on Tuesday night on the EU sugar reform proposals.
Mr Dillon, IFA general secretary Michael Berkery, and sugar beet chairman Jim O’Regan will address the gatherings.
