Cuts to CAP could cost Galway €21million a year

Galway IFA County Chairman Micheal Haverty said the next three months will be critical in the campaign to secure a CAP budget that will underpin the future viability of Irish agriculture.

“As part of IFA’s campaign, we have created a dedicated online CAP hub that sets out the implications of the existing proposals. For Ireland, the proposed cut of €2.5bn or 24% would have massive ramifications for farmers and our capacity to produce high-quality food. It would also have a huge impact on the rural economy given that every € in CAP payments generates up to €2 in economic activity, mainly in rural Ireland,” said Haverty.

“The cost pressures on farmers at the moment – from global unrest, weather conditions and the fertiliser policy at EU level – have created the perfect storm. It sends the wrong signal to be taking support away from food production at a time when the European Union should be reinforcing food security.

“We will use this the CAP hub to inform politicians in the months ahead, including at our regional meeting in The McWilliam Park Hotel Claremorris on Wednesday September 9 at 8 pm, of the damaging impact of the cuts.

“The hub shows Galway stands to lose €21 million per year between 2028 to 2034, with 230 jobs at risk due to these cuts,” Micheal Haverty said.

“The hub also offers every farmer the opportunity to see what it will mean for them individually, by entering their own figures,” he said.

Restoring CAP Budget

The Galway IFA Chair said restoring the CAP budget must be a priority for the Irish Government as it chairs the discussions.

“Holding the EU Presidency at this crucial time means our Government has the opportunity to steer the debate and achieve an outcome that will provide farmers and the wider rural economy with the resilience needed to tackle the challenges ahead,” added the Galway chairman.

“There is likely to be an EU Council meeting in October which will be chaired by the Taoiseach Micheál Martin. This will see further negotiations around the shape of the next MFF budget, of which CAP is a part. Those deliberations will have a bearing on the future of farming from 2028 onwards,” he said.

IFA will be working through political channels here and via our office in Brussels to highlight the importance of a realistic level of support for our largest indigenous sector.