Full de-coupling best, says Walsh

FULL de-coupling of direct payments from production is in the best interests of Irish agriculture, Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh declared at the Bord Bia national beef and sheep producers conference in Tullamore, County Offaly, yesterday.

His comments followed reports that some IFA members were unhappy with the decision to opt for full de-coupling and were seeking certain changes.

However, IFA president John Dillon earlier stated that its National Council had decided in favour of full de-coupling and this position of principle had not changed.