Farmers urged to say Yes to Nice despite policy frustrations

FARMERS must not vent their frustration at current problems by voting no to the EU Nice Treaty, Agriculture Minister Joe Walsh warned today.

Mr Walsh said all current difficulties facing Irish farming would be far worse without EU support. He said the Irish taxpayer could not afford to give anything like the same level of support that the EU gives agriculture.

Writing in today's Irish Examiner, Mr Walsh argues that Ireland has derived huge benefit from its 30 years of EU membership. He said the EU had given 16 billion in regional and social fund grants and a total of 32bn to Irish farming in various supports.