Dairy farmers facing spring labour shortage at the peak of calving and milking season

The horticulture, pig and poultry sectors have also been seriously impacted, with an insufficient supply of workers

IFA Dairy Committee chairman Stephen Arthur: 'The IFA estimate that there has been a 65% drop in the number of applicants for dairy farm vacancies.' Picture: Moya Nolan

A crisis is looming on many of the country’s dairy farms due to a likely shortage of workers next spring – the peak of the calving and milking season, the Irish Farmers Association has warned.

It has called on Minister of State Damien English to speedily issue work permits to meet the urgent need. A successful pilot scheme of dairy permits was issued in 2018, but this has expired.