Farmers tell Government it’s time to use veto

IRELAND has never used the veto in its 35-year membership of the European Union.

But the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) says it is now time for the Government to signal to the European Commission that it is prepared to use that power to protect a vital national interest – the farming and agri-food sector.

It says that industry will be decimated if import tariff cuts, proposed by trade commissioner Peter Mandelson in the world trade talks, are imposed on beef, dairy and other products from non-EU countries in return for greater access to their markets for EU goods and services.