Farming leaders begin talks at Government buildings

Farming leaders have begun talks at Government buildings on a new national pay deal.

The two biggest groups, the Irish Farmers Association and the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers are meeting with officials from the Taoiseach's department. Representatives of ICOS and Macra na Feirme are also in attendance.

Pat O'Rourke of the ICMSA says he will be pushing for the creation of a commission on agriculture to look at farm incomes.

"If there has been anything learnt in the last week is that the spin doctors within the Department of Agriculture, couldn't even establish clearly what was the level of income so that the Commission of Farm Income could definitively call it.

"More importantly they would then put in place a mechanism whereby we could at national and EU level put in place a plan whereby farm incomes could be improved and that farmers could enjoy the same standard of living as other sectors."