Politicians keep it country in their quest to secure farming vote

BRAZEN bullocks, woolly sheep and haughty heifers are being given bit parts in the election campaign in rural Ireland as party leaders sweep into marts, visit shows and walk the land seeking the support of the country’s 130,000 farm families.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern arrived in the rain at Castleblaney Mart in Co Monaghan the other day.

Then this week it was the turn of Fine Gael’s Denis Naughten to outline his party’s policy for agriculture in an angling centre in Athleague, Co Roscommon.