Local farmers out ‘in solidarity’ with European counterparts
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Members of Westmeath IFA gathered at Mullingar Equestrian Centre on Thursday evening and headed off from there through the town in a convoy of tractors in a show of solidarity for their colleagues in Germany.Image 2 of 6
More than 20 tractors turned out.Image 3 of 6
Enda Burke, Sarah Hanley, Richard O’Brien, Westmeath IFA chairperson, and Willie Dolan.Image 4 of 6
Adam and Aiden Martin and Richard O’Brien.Image 5 of 6
Paddy Donnelly.Image 6 of 6
Sean Mullan and Shauna McKeon.Westmeath farmers were out in force last week to demonstrate their frustration with EU regulations, in solidarity with farmers across the continent.
Roughly 30 tractors gathered at Mullingar Equestrian Centre on February 1 at around 6pm before driving through the town.
It was a show of support for farming unions in France, who have been engaging in road blockages and other protests since January.
That follows similar protests held by farmers in Germany and Poland in recent weeks, as they seek more pay for their produce and less onerous environmental regulations.
Westmeath IFA chairperson Richie O’Brien said the demonstration in Mullingar was “not a protest,” but an expression of solidarity.
“We’re standing in solidarity with farmers protesting across Europe at the moment,” he told the Westmeath Examiner.
“We have similar concerns and there is just way too much red tape coming from Europe at the moment, and our own government.
“There is a lot of frustration among farmers in this country.”
Mr O’Brien said it is possible local farmers will engage in active protest, similar to France if things continue on the same track.
“We don’t want to disrupt the public, but we don’t want it to be seen that the IFA did nothing either,” he said.
“There are lots of people out there at the moment who accuse us of wanting to block motorways, airports and cities.
“At the end of the day, all that is doing is annoying people who want to buy your product, so that’s not the way we want to go at the moment.
“We may think in the future of doing a proper protest outside the Department [of Agriculture] offices, but we’re not on the attack against our own government at the moment.”
Mr O’Brien said supermarkets in Ireland often force farmers to accept low prices.
“Farmers’ produce is always getting knocked down to get customers in the door,” he said.
“Supermarkets will do a deal on eggs so your half dozen eggs could cost €1.30 or €1.40 one week and while they get you in to buy them cheaply, they will mark up something else.
“There is a food Ombudsman being put in place at the moment so we’re hoping that they would have some control over loss selling.”
The IFA chairman said he also had an issue with the Department of Agriculture’s handling of the ACRES environmental scheme, nitrate limits, and “continuous false promises” from Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue.
The IFA president Francie Gorman said the general feeling among farmers across the EU is that ‘enough is enough’.