MONAGHAN IFA County Chair Kathleen Ward has expressed her thanks to all local IFA branch members and all the Agri-related business in County Monaghan for turning out in support of the Mandelson protest in Dublin last week.

Ms Ward also thanked the local agri-sector for observing the call to close their business and for their assistance in handing out notices and attending the protest itself. “This tremendous turnout should ensure a serious wake up call to the seriousness of the consequences of a WTO agreement as proposed by Mr Mandelson resulting in the destruction of the Irish beef industry and of jobs in towns throughout the County,” she said.

Thousands of farmers took to the streets of Dublin to protest against the EU’s stance in the latest round of World Trade Organisation negotiations. Farming organisations are accusing the European Commission of preparing to sell-out agriculture in order to cut a deal in other sectors.

Addressing the protest, the IFA President Padraig Walshe said the consequences of a Mandelson deal would be the destruction of the Irish beef industry and of jobs and wealth generation in towns and the wider community on an unprecedented scale, with 50,000 jobs being lost in the food industry and services, and a further 50,000 farmers being put out of business.

Mr Walshe said “the meat factories, marts, co-ops and agri-businesses are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with us in this campaign.  I welcome that support and, of course, they are defending their own interests because, if you shut-down farming, you shut down rural Ireland.”

Mr Walshe said, “The Irish beef and dairy industries buy €6 billion worth of goods and services in the economy every year, while the much-lauded pharmaceutical industry by contrast spends only €2 billion.  That’s a third of the contribution of the beef and dairy industries alone.”

The IFA President also issued a warning to the EU. “I previously said IFA had no problem with the Lisbon Treaty and I would recommend a yes vote.  Since then, Mandelson has completely undermined our position and I want to put it on the record:  If the sell out goes ahead on 20 May in Geneva, then I will not ask farmers to support a Commission that has destroyed the future of our farming and food industry.

The Lisbon Treaty Referendum is on 12 June, but for farmers, the referendum decision comes on 20 of May.  That’s the date Mandelson will be in Geneva and he has a decision to make.  Sell us out and we’ll have our say on 12 June.”

“That is also my clear message to the Irish Government:  Don’t come back from Geneva having sold us out and expect farm families, thousands of workers in the food industry that will lose their jobs, hundreds of rural businesses that will have to close down, don’t expect us to do your bidding in the Referendum,” he added.