Newry Armagh Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

MEP meets South Armagh farmers at National Ploughing championships

Published: 28 September, 2009

Sinn Féin MEP Bairbre de Brún commenting after the successful the all-Ireland Ploughing Championship in Athy, Co Kildare last week has said that rural Ireland needs the Irish government, the Executive and the EU working in partnership to ensure its future. Ms. de Brún visited numerous stalls at the event including that of Ollie and Bernie Reel from South Armagh.

Speaking afterwards Ms de Brún said:

"Ireland has always had a long tradition of working the land and has always faced challenges. The challenges today facing our rural communities are huge. Even before the global recession people in our rural communities were finding it hard to make ends meet. Now they face even greater pressures.

"We need to get all of the decision makers working in partnership with our farmers, our fishing communities and our rural families. We need Irish government, the Executive and the EU working in partnership with rural communities to ensure its future. This is the key to not just sustaining our rural communities but to plotting a way forward to a better future for people living in rural Ireland.

"North Kerry TD Martin Ferris has done important work with farming and fishing communities across the West of Ireland identifying common concerns and drawing up recommendations for action. He has highlighted the frustration and anger that exists in the rural community and a feeling that smaller farmers in particular are really losing out.

"The Lisbon Treaty was also a huge issue being discussed in Athy last week, and an issue that has divided the farming community. A key issue is the position of the EU and the WTO (World Trade Organisation).

"Irish farmers and development NGOs are rightly concerned at the agenda being pursued by successive European Trade Commissioners from Pascal Lamy to Leon Brittan and Peter Mandelson through to the current Commissioner Catherine Ashton - an agenda that is bad for Irish farmers and the developing world.

"I welcome the fact that our Agriculture and Rural Development Minister for the north Michelle Gildernew will attend the Ploughing Championships again this year. An all-Ireland approach is needed if we are to put rural issues high enough on the agenda

"Michelle Gildernew is currently taking forward her Rural White paper. Rural Ireland needs a joined up approach and we can best make progress through direct engagement with farmers and others living and working in rural Ireland." ENDS

Note to Editor:

The stands and exhibits visited by Bairbre de Brún MEP at the National Ploughing Championships in Athy, Co Kildare (22-24 September) include:

Nugent Engineering, Galbally and CM Plant Sales, Moy, The Agri Food and Biosciences Institute, Newforge Lane, McCauley Trailers, Toomebridge, Slurrykat Waringstown, M Large Tree Services, Newtownabey, GM Canopies, Omagh, Chocallure Strabane, Liam McArdle Farm Prints Lurgan, Irish Recording Services Dromore, Emerald Arts and Crafts Newtownards, and the Hedge Laying Association Magherafelt, as well as the DARD stand, the European Commission stand and farming organisations IFA, ICSA and ICMSA.