This article is from page 36 of the 2008-04-22 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 36 JPG
IRISH farmers rose up with one voice last week and unilaterally re- jected the current trade deal on the table of the World Trade Organisa- nee
More than 10,000 farmers brought Dublin to a standstill Thursday in an unprecedented show of power and solidarity. The protest was timed to coincide with the visit of the Presi- dent of the EU Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso.
Barosso was in the capital to cam- paign for a yes vote in a crunch up- coming referendum on the Lisbon Treaty. The majority of Irish farm- ing organisations have threatened
urging a no vote if their concerns on the WTO are ignored.
‘Farmers could not support a Com- mission that has sold out on family farming and food production right across Europe,’ said IFA president, Padraig Walshe addressing the pro- test.
“If the Mandelson proposals were followed there would not be farmer support for the treaty. That is my message for President Barroso today. That is my message for the Govern- ment today.”
It has been claimed that the out- come of the current negotiations would cost the Irish economy four billion euro and see 50,000 farm- ers put out of business, along with
50,000 job losses in the processing sector.
Speaking before the national day of protest, Clare IFA County Chairman Michael Lynch has called on farm- ers to hit back against Commissioner Mandelson.
“The WTO negotiations are at a critical stage and Mandelson is out of control, offering to destroy the CAP in a reckless last-ditch effort to get a deal,’ he said.
“The reality of the Mandelson cuts would be a flood of beef steak 1m- ports from South America into Eu- rope, which would collapse Irish cat- tle prices to €2/kg or 7Op/Ib, making suckler and livestock farming totally uneconomic.
“Milk prices would be cut to 24c/ litre as a direct result of greatly in- creased imports of butter and other dairy products. There would also be huge losses in the sheep, pigs, poul- try and grain sectors.
“Irish agriculture would be devas- tated and the loss of farmers’ liveli- hoods and jobs in the food industry, agri-business and services would be felt in towns and communities across the entire country.
“If Mandelson is not stopped, we are facing a €4 billion per year loss to economy with rural Ireland hard- est hit by far. This 1s a crucial protest in our campaign to stop Mandelson and secure the future of Irish farm-
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ing.