Rural businesses back farm protest
IFA said the protest was strongly supported by business people in the rural towns.
IFA President Padraig Walshe said the Fianna Fáil-Green party programme for government agreed at the weekend did not recognise the importance of REPS.
“There were more people here today at one farmer meeting in Portlaoise than attended the Green Party convention on Saturday which decided the future of the country,” he said.
He called on rural Fianna Fáil ministers and TDs to bring forward concrete proposals to reverse Government cuts in farm schemes and to sufficiently fund REPS .
IFA said 250 tractors took part in the Fermoy protest, and almost 400 in each of the two Tipperary venues. There were 150 tractors in Bandon and 180 in Carlow, and up to 300 in Dungarvan.
At Fermoy, Munster IFA leader Sean O’Leary said some farmers have to selling off their livestock to support their families. Longford IFA chairman Sean Reilly said farmers were losing €250 per head in cattle sales.
The AA reported very severe traffic disruption in Limerick and Kilkenny for more than two hours, and traffic chaos at Loughrea, Co Galway, and Roscommon town.
The turnout in Limerick was estimated at 300 tractors, 280 in Kilkenny, 400 in Enniscorthy and 300 in Loughrea.
