Action is needed to help small farmers survive
The weather is something no Government can do something about but regarding cash flow, they can. If you don’t have money, you cannot buy fodder.
The last FF/Green Government, by dismantling most of the Disadvantaged Area Schemes such as the 25% Area Aid cut, abolishing REPS and other schemes, sealed the fate of many small farmers.
Fine Gael and Labour have offered no alternative. The IFA, unlike the trade unions, wouldn’t ballot their members as they knew full well the outcome would be an overwhelming number would not support 80% of the CAP payments going to 20% of the biggest farmers. Surely any fair system would pay extra on poor land, not on good land.
FG, Labour and the IFA should immediately call on Minister Coveney to bring forward the autumn payments to avoid an impending disaster and fast track all AEOS payments so farmers can buy ration and fodder.
The FF, FG, Labour, Green austerity regime hasn’t worked but yes it has wreaked havoc on rural Ireland.
When the Wild Colonial Boy left Castlemaine for Australia, at least he robbed the rich to serve the poor.
Our Government have robbed the poor to serve the rich simply because the rich were able to grease the electoral wagons of political campaigners and in return got bountiful favours, while mother NAMA offered a safe haven. All, of course, to be paid for by the poor. I ask the question, is this a fair Ireland?
Michael O’Sullivan
Castletownbere
Co Cork
