Land fines protesters brave gales

Gale force winds and freezing rain didn’t deter more than 250 protesters against the threat of retrospective land eligibility fines who gathered in Bantry Square in west Cork last Saturday.

Farmers, their families and supporters gathered in the seaweed-strewn square which had been under several feet of sea water only hours earlier, and marched to TD Noel Harrington’s office, where a delegation entered for a pre-arranged meeting.

The organisations involved unanimously called for Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney to visit the area, to investigate cuts to single farm payments due to land being declared ineligible.