Politicians split over 'tractorcades'

Escalating tractor convoys are tying up Garda resources and should be called off, a TD said tonight.

Farmers would jeopardise urban-rural relationships if they insisted on bringing their “tractorcades” to Dublin on Friday, Sean Ardagh said.

However, a rift emerged within the Fianna Fail party as its former junior agriculture minister came out in support of the farmers’ plight.

An estimated 2,000 vehicles passed through the midlands this afternoon in the third day of the demonstration which threatens traffic chaos in the capital later this week.

“It is still not too late for the farmers to call off these unnecessary protests and accept the invitation from the Minister for Agriculture to enter into immediate talks about their grievances,” Mr Ardagh said.

“By calling off the demonstrations now the farmers could still save the goodwill they built up in urban areas in the wake of the foot-and-mouth crisis.”

Yet despite Mr Ardagh’s comments, Fianna Fail colleague Ned O’Keeffe today joined the farmers in their protest.

He urged the Government to provide a rescue package for the industry, saying that agriculture was in crisis and many farmers were living in poverty.

Farmers began heading towards the capital from outlying parts of the country on Monday.

They were joined by more each day in a protest ultimately set to embrace all 32 counties in the Irish Republic.

Despite assurances that only 300 of the farm vehicles will eventually be allowed into Dublin city centre on Friday, the action by the Irish Farmers’ Association has been branded “irresponsible” by business chiefs.

The Dublin City Business Association said it deplored the “irresponsible action organised by the IFA“, and warned that the result would be traffic snarl-ups “impeding those who need mobility to carry out their work“.

The IFA argues that the Government’s policies are threatening the future of its members and have demanded a “positive move” to boost incomes.

It said confidence in the agriculture sector had been undermined by last month’s budget, when cuts and extra costs were estimated to cost farming €200m a year after incomes had already fallen by 8.5% during 2002.