Ireland cannot continue with 'market-driven' agriculture system, says President

President of Ireland Michael D Higgins at Áras an Uachtaráin for his interview with Political Editor Elaine Loughlin. Picture: Dan Linehan

Ireland is now paying a "very high ecological price" for systems of agriculture imposed by the EU, President Michael D Higgins has said.

We cannot continue with a "market-driven" system of agriculture that focuses on volume and instead farm families will have to be subsidised for using land in an ecologically responsible way, the President said.