Local TD Claire Kerrane TD has called on Agriculture Minister Charlie McConalogue to take action on urgent concerns raised by farmers.
Deputy Kerrane said farmers have raised serious concerns over the past week around the delays to farm payments, announced changes to the nitrates derogation, and the crisis facing the sheep sector.
She said that these concerns remain outstanding despite being raised with the Minister for several months.
“Farmers and representative organisations are yet again having to raise serious concerns which will affect many of our family farms and rural communities,” said the Sinn Féin TD.
“The impact of delays to farm payments, of changes to the nitrates derogation, and of the crisis affecting the sheep sector are not new – these are issues that have been raised time and time again with the Minister.
“Yet, what we are seeing now is several of these significant issues coming to a head following months of the Minister failing to listen to farmers and failing to take action to address these concerns.”
The Roscommon-Galway TD said that she raised the delays of payments – the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and Areas of Natural Constraints (ANC) schemes – directly with the Minister in the Dáil in May, and several times since.
Deputy Kerrane said that it is “really disappointing” that despite significant issues being raised with the Minister, we find ourselves in this situation today.
“It is not too late for the Minister to engage constructively on these key issues, and I am demanding that he does so as a matter of urgency. This is no way to treat farmers. The Minister needs to wake up to the impact of his decisions and the reality for farmers.”
