Barroso visit fails to ease farmers’ treaty concerns

HE came, he saw, but he wasn’t conquered by the 10,000 farmers on the streets, who are worried that they will go the way of the Irish sugar industry.

European Commission President José Manuel Barroso left farmers even more uncertain about the implications of a Lisbon Treaty which very few people can understand — but which we have to vote on in a summer referendum. He didn’t allay farmers’ fears that the Commission will, once the referendum is out of way, go ahead with a world trade agreement which could be very bad for Irish agriculture.

He adopted a defensive approach, and farmers may well decide that “if in doubt, leave it out” is the best policy, and postpone their support for the Lisbon Treaty until their world trade worries are eased.