The Irish Farmers’ Association (IFA) held dozens of demonstrations across the country in solidarity with EU farmers protesting regulations, income pressures and bureaucracy.
The demonstrations, which were scheduled to be held in all counties, were expected to cause local traffic disruption as convoys of tractors drove down the roads.
IFA’s first solidarity demonstration was held in Co Clare, with at least 28 demonstrations taking place in every county in the country except Carlow in the wake of last night’s fatal crash.
Farmers say they are subject to onerous levels of bureaucracy and are calling on authorities to streamline how they apply and register for farm payments.
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Farmers on tractors were taken to several towns and gathered on highway overpasses and other prominent locations to convey a message of solidarity.
IFA president Francie Gorman, who attended the demonstration in Mullingar, said farmers wanted to support their colleagues in countries such as France, Germany and Belgium in protesting against regulation, bureaucracy and income pressures.
“They’re just as frustrated as farmers in other countries with what’s going on,” he says.
“They feel they are being driven out of business by Brussels bureaucrats and Ministry of Agriculture officials who are divorced from the day-to-day realities of farming.
“Irish farmers are pro-EU, but there is growing dissatisfaction with the impact of EU policy on European farmers and its implementation here in Ireland,” Mr Gorman said.
“The general feeling among farmers across the EU is that enough is enough,” he added.
More than 100 IFA members gathered on the outskirts of Galway ahead of the protest.
They had planned to march in procession from Carnmore Cross to the city center to show their support to their continental colleagues.
Galway IFA chairman Stephen Canavan said members were having to spend many hours each week filling out forms and assessing guidelines.
Read more: EU pledges to reduce ‘administrative burden’ for farmers
He said consultation with the people working on the land would reduce the need for such levels of red tape, and appealed to authorities in Ireland and Europe to work to streamline the process.
Farmers from Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, speaking to RTÉ News, said when they look at the issues farmers in Europe are protesting against, they realize they are the same issues facing many farmers here. .
One dairy farmer said, “Over-regulation is making it harder and harder to farm, and it’s even harder for young people like us to want to farm.” .
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Another man, sitting on a tractor preparing to leave, said: “All farmers in Europe, we need to unite. We are over-regulated and restricted everywhere.” Ta.
Another farmer said he was there because “farmers are rushing to stop” because of cost issues.
There were localized traffic disruptions in many towns and Galway City during the demonstrations. The number of participants at each protest varied.
Around 105 tractors were reportedly involved in Tullamore, Co Offaly, around 50 in Mullingar, Co Westmeath and about the same number in Galway City.
Meanwhile, protesters who claimed to be non-aligned individual farmers drove their tractors outside the Athlone Springs Hotel in Athlone, where Agriculture Minister Charlie McConlogue was attending a general meeting of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers Association. We gathered together.
Many protesters insisted on talking to the minister, but were unable to do so and remained in the hotel lobby until 1 a.m. They left after the minister went to bed. An IFA spokesperson said they were not involved in any protests and did not hold any demonstrations in Athlone.
The ICSA general meeting was attended by ministers, some MPs and TDs and saw Sean McNamara installed as chairman of the organisation.
Additional reporting Pat McGrath