ICMSA attacks planned ESB rise

A 13% rise in ESB charges would be unacceptable to farmers, ICMSA Farm Services and Environment Committee chairperson Lorcan McCabe has claimed.

At a time when farm incomes are low, he said many farmers would not be able to carry this increased cost. CSO data has shown that since 2000 farm input costs have risen by almost 10 %, while output value has fallen by almost 1%.

To ask farmers to pay for yet another completely unjustified increase in ESB costs when their own future viability is so uncertain is not on, he said.