Agriculture minister meets with Limerick farmers to debate CAP proposals

A STRONG debate took place in Kilmallock Mart this week as Minister for Agriculture Charlie McConalogue continued his nationwide CAP consultation tour in the town on Monday evening.

Addressing a Covid-19 compliant crowd, the minister spelled out his current vision for the next CAP which is currently being worked on. Ireland's CAP Strategic Plan must be submitted before January 1, 2022 in order to have the new CAP in place for January 2023.

“It was a great honour to visit farmers in Kilmallock. I was enthused by the suggestions that were coming forward from those in attendance. While time is short, farmers can still have an input into this CAP Strategic Plan. This is very much their CAP and I want ensure that as many farm families as possible have the opportunity to feed into this CAP plan.

“I am committed to bringing this CAP to every milking parlour, every calving shed, every tillage field and every kitchen table in the county and I am doing that. I thank Ministers of State Niall Collins and Patrick O’Donovan and all public representatives for joining me, the staff and board of Kilmallock Mart and everyone who assisted in making the event such a success,” said Minister McConalogue.

Also in attendance were Deputy Richard O'Donoghue, Cllrs Bridie Collins, Mike Donegan and John O'Donoghue.

The day after the meeting the IFA announced they were holding regional rallies - in Cavan, Roscommon, Portlaoise and Cork City - to "Save Irish Farming".

The IFA says the rallies are to highlight how the "current Government is pursuing a path that will wipe out Ireland's largest indigenous sector".

IFA president Tim Cullinan, who will lead the rallies, said: "For the last two years, IFA has tried to engage with Government on the sector's future. Despite this, it continues to treat us as low-hanging fruit that it can target without impunity. 

"At the same time, it’s rolling out the red carpet for energy-guzzling multinationals and allowing food, peat, and timber to be imported from less efficient countries in Europe and further afield. IFA will not allow farmers to be sacrificial lambs so the Government can give the appearance of ‘doing the right thing’”.

Mr Cullinan said they are sounding an alarm. 

"Without proper negotiation with farmers and a coherent plan, farming and food production in this country will be unrecognisable. We want the Government to get serious and sit down to develop a workable farm-level plan,” said the IFA president.

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