A local TD has expressed solidarity with farmers who were protesting in Ireland and across Europe this week.
Farmers in Galway and across the country protested on Thursday evening in solidarity with their European counterparts.
Sinn Féin TD Claire Kerrane expressed her solidarity with those who protested, saying that many are rightly frustrated with mounting challenges they have been facing.
She said that far too often, farmers do not receive a fair price for their produce, which has been compounded by soaring input costs in recent years.
As well as this, she said farmers are increasingly being asked to do more with regard to climate action and biodiversity, and amidst discussion around sustainability and diversification.
“Given the constant policy U-turns farmers have faced from successive Fianna Fail and Fine Gael governments, it is completely understandable that the frustration that farmers in Ireland feel has culminated in the protests taking place today, and in solidarity with their European counterparts,” said Deputy Kerrane.
“Sinn Féin believe that, at a time when much is being asked of farmers, it is crucial that we support our family farmers to deliver and to thrive into the future.
“The family farm is at the heart of rural communities in Ireland, intertwined with the people in those communities and a cornerstone of rural economies. This has been the case for generations and can and should be the role that family farms play for generations to come.”
