'There's more anger now': Farmers willing to protest at rising fuel and fertiliser costs 

The fuel protests in April saw hauliers and agricultural contractors take part in slow-moving convoys and restrict access to Dublin’s O'Connell Street. File picture: PA

The level of anger among farmers at the rising cost of fuel and fertiliser is similar to that seen in April, when protests brought fuel supplies to a halt.

Farmers have criticised an increase in the carbon tax due on October 14, which will see all other fuels rise to the same rate set for petrol and diesel (€71 per tonne).

A spokesman for fuel protesters in Dublin — Co Westmeath contractor James Geoghegan — had suggested previously that there would be action before the Budget on October 6.

The fuel protests in April saw hauliers and agricultural contractors take part in slow-moving convoys and restrict access to Dublin’s O'Connell Street.

They continued in the days after that, escalating to blockades of fuel depots that supply half the country and Ireland’s only oil refinery in Whitegate, Co Cork.

At last week's ploughing championships, Patrick Kent, a former president of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) and a farmer in New Ross, Co Wexford, said farmers would "without a doubt" join in protests if action is not taken in the Budget.

"There's more anger now. There are a lot of people irate, we'll say. There's a negativity here that we didn't see at previous Ploughing Championships."

He told EU agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen that the tillage sector is "going to be decimated" and that fuel prices are a "major" problem.

He criticised carbon tax and said the schemes put in place in April to help farmers were "not functioning", as they were "too onerous" and "an insult". "We need to simplify it and get that money into farmers' pockets."

Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers Association (ICMSA) president Denis Drennan said there is the same level of anger now as in April because "the cash flow problem has got much worse".

"The drought has really put a huge dampener on things," he said, adding that margins had been "decimated" and fertiliser prices had "gone through the roof".

He also said carbon tax was a lightning rod because its aim to encourage use of sustainable alternatives did not apply to tractors.

When there is no alternative, it just becomes a tax.

Irish Farmers' Association president Francie Gorman said there was "absolutely" the same level of anger out there as there was in April.

"It's a real concern," he said, adding that there was strong opposition to carbon tax.

"The problem we have is that we don't have the amount of fodder that would leave you sleeping easy going into the winter."