Irish farmers vital for a yes to Nice

national | miscellaneous | news report Saturday October 05, 2002 23:53 by Banker W.

But Bertie has bought the main farmers leaders and it probally was money well spend, and no doubt they came fairly cheap to boot

Irish farmers vital for a yes to Nice

BERTIE AHERN - Irish prime minister said Irish agriculture and food industries are critically dependent on exports to the Single European Market and we cannot afford anything which might hinder or hurt these exports. (Photo: EU Commission)
The support of the Irish farm organisations will be absolutely vital for ensuring a Yes vote on October 19, Irish Taoiseach Bertie Ahern said when meeting leaders of Ireland's giant agri-food sector in a bid to prevent a second rejection of the Nice Treaty.

Mr Ahern took one hour during his referendum campaign trip to Cork to meet the leaders of farm and food producer groups and warned that a second Nice rejection would be "catastrophic". But the the main farming organisation, 'The Irish Farmers Association' (IFA) did not turn up. An IFA spokesperson said this was being done in light of the unsatisfactory meeting on sheep identification it had with the Department of Agriculture on Wednesday.

Mr Ahern stressed at the meeting: "Europe has been very good for Ireland and now it's time for us to prove that Ireland can be very good for an expanded Europe". "Our agriculture and food industries are critically dependent on exports to the Single European Market and we cannot afford anything which might hinder or hurt these exports," he said.

Mr Ahern said he was "heartened" by the support already given from agri-food groups and he acknowledged that the rural vote could prove decisive. "This vote will have enormous implications for Ireland's prosperity and future job creation prospects. That's what I'm asking voters to consider," he added.

Written by Bettina Berg
Edited by Lisbeth Kirk