The Irish Farmers’ Association has warned that any cuts in EU payments would be “frightening” for farmers and would do irreparable damage to Ireland's agri-food sector.
The association insists that both the single annual payment received by farmers from the EU, and rural development payments, must continue to be paid in full following next year’s reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.
The IFA is organising a demonstration in Dublin next Tuesday to highlight their demands that no cuts be made to either EU or Government payments.
IFA President John Bryan said that a flat-rate system for the single farm payment would decimate the incomes of tens of thousands of average-sized, productive farmers.
He said the proposals of EU Farm Commissioner Dacian Ciolos will not work in Ireland, and are a direct attack on the country's most productive farmers.
The IFA president called on the Minister for Agriculture, Simon Coveney, and Irish MEPs to redouble their efforts to secure the CAP budget for Ireland, and a payment system that supports active farmers and underpins agricultural production and growth.
