Employers seek supports for farmers

A relaxation on EU state aid restrictions would help Irish farmers negotiate the likely serious economic disturbance of Brexit, according to Ireland’s employers’ bodies.

Representatives from Food Drink Ireland (FDI) and Meat Industry Ireland (MII) have told the Seanad select committee on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU that Ireland needs to push to maintain tariff-free access to the UK market post-Brexit. They have also called for an EU state aid framework to support vulnerable businesses.

FDI director Paul Kelly said: “With 40% of total food and drink exports going to the UK, Ireland is far more exposed than any other European country to Brexit. Supply chains in the food sector are deeply integrated between our two countries.