IFA warns that budget cuts in sector will hit 300,000 livelihoods

ANY cuts in farm schemes in next week’s budget will hit jobs in the farming and agri-food sector which support 300,000 livelihoods, the Irish Farmers Association said yesterday.

IFA president Padraig Walshe told Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith at a pre-budget meeting that such moves would seriously damage the prospects for national economic recovery.

“The Government must protect existing jobs if the country is to return to growth,” he said.