Duties ‘would wipe out beef industry’

The proposed introduction of tariffs by Britain on Irish exports would lead to “armageddon” in Irish farming, the Dáil heard. Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin said the announcement of a tariff regime by the British government “would wipe out the beef industry”.

Many primary producers, including beef and suckler farmers, would go to the wall, he said. “I refer to producers of cheddar cheese, poultry, lamb, and pork. Such an outcome would devastate the rural Irish economy and sectors of our agricultural industry. The cost to the beef sector alone would be more than €800m if these tariffs were ultimately to apply,” he said during leaders’ questions. It is time for everyone to stand back and reflect,” he said.