Farmer abandons hunger strike against EU scheme

THE Limerick farmer who has been staging a hunger strike to protest at non-payment of Rural Environmental Protection Scheme cheques gave up his protest yesterday after a health scare.

Donal O’Brien was taken to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital after feeling unwell.

He had staged a sit-in at the offices of the Department of Agriculture in Raheen Industrial Estate since last Thursday and stopped taking food on Saturday afternoon.