Minister to speak at event on Paddy Donnelly's farm this week
The agriculture minister is to be the main speaker at an information evening for farmers is being organised by Fine Gael TD Peter Burke this Friday, September 1, at Paddy Donnelly’s Farm, Balrath, Slanemore, at 4pm.
Minister for Agriculture, Food and Marine Michael Creed will be joined by IFA president Joe Healy.
Deputy Burke said his hope was to bring together key areas of agriculture to provide the widest scope of relevant information for farmers of the region.
“Since being elected, I have being bringing farmers’ concerns in Westmeath and across the constituency to the minister and to the Department of Agriculture, and I was eager to get the minister down to Mullingar to hear what farmers’ concerns and priorities are here.
“It is a time of uncertainty for farming, and while the weather has been good this year, there is still a lot of uncertainty around Brexit, around the stabilisation of farm incomes and in relation to European schemes and regulations.
“I was delighted that the minister agreed to come to Mullingar for the day to hear first-hand the situation on the ground and where the farming community could benefit from additional government support.
“Also, it is important for him to outline exactly what his department are doing ahead of Brexit and ahead of the winter.”
Deputy Burke said another key concern is farm safety: “With this in mind, I have invited Peter Gohery to address the meeting – he is a farmer from Galway who will speak about a farm accident which resulted in the loss of his leg.
“There can never be enough done when it comes to farm safety when you see the cost and it often takes hearing these kind of stories to shock our systems into changing habits that have been with us for decades.”
Deputy Burke, who farms with his father in Clonmore, Mullingar, added that there is a wealth of information available for farmers, which can be both good and bad, and said that bringing a number of sources together for one evening will be beneficial to farmers in the area.
“It will also be helpful to hear from other key stakeholders in the farming community, including Joe Healy, who will be making his second official visit to Mullingar this year.
“Sergeant John Connolly will also be speaking on crime prevention and how to protect your farm, and Barry Hyland, AIB agri-advisor, will be on hand to talk all things finance. Attendees will be also hearing from local Teagasc advisor, David Webster, who is known to many local farmers.”
“Finally we will hear from Paddy Donnelly, who has kindly offered his farm to the public for the evening. Paddy is well known in the farming community for his involvement with the IFA and Mullingar Show.
“As a beef and suckler farmer, he represents the mainstream of progressive farming in this part of the country.
“The information evening is open to all and light refreshments will be served afterwards. I am hugely grateful for the guest speakers for offering their time on a Friday evening and I think it will be a worthwhile exercise to gather a wide variety of information and advice sources together on the one platform.”