IFA welcomes Dáil vote on tillage aid campaign
A Fianna Fáil private member’s motion seeking to provide a €4.5m fund was passed yesterday.
It was supported by Sinn Féin, Labour, and a number of Independents and smaller parties. A Government amendment was defeated by 87 votes to 49.
IFA president Joe Healy had said, following its protest outside the Dáil on Wednesday, that there was a groundswell of support for those tillage farmers who incurred significant weather losses.
Calling on Agriculture Minister Michael Creed to reconvene the National Tillage Forum as a matter of urgency, he said Mr Creed had accepted the need for emergency aid in comments to the IFA AGM and in the Dáil debate.
He noted that Mr Creed had stated that he was anxious to do it in the best possible way that delivers to those who are most adversely affected and wished to progress the matter through the Tillage Forum.
Mr Healy said the agenda for the Tillage Forum must also address the need to implement an action plan to tackle the serious and deepening income crisis affecting grain growers and the wider tillage sector.
He said he also welcomed Mr Creed’s comments concerning the critical importance of the tillage sector to the agricultural economy.
Mr Healy also noted confirmation that the low-interest agri-cashflow loan fund, which includes tillage farmers, will be available later this month and that the TAMs scheme for tillage will be launched in a couple of weeks.
