IFA unhappy with compromise WTO proposals

The Irish Farmers' Association claims a compromise proposal for a new global trade deal would seriously damage Irish farming.

EU Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson has indicated his support for the deal and says the vast majority of EU states are backing the compromise.

He has also insisted that there is nothing in the proposals that would undermine "any part of European agriculture".

The agreement, if approved, would lead to a 23% reduction in EU beef tariffs over the next five years, as well as an import quota of 290,000 tonnes at very low tariff rates.

IFA president Padraig Walshe says this would seriously damage Irish agriculture and is not acceptable to Irish farmers.