IFA to protest in solidarity with European farmers

Members of the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) are to hold a series of demonstrations in every county tomorrow, in solidarity with farmers protesting across Europe.

For months farmers have been protesting over regulations and conditions.

In France, the EU’s biggest agricultural producer, farmers say that they are not being paid enough and are choked by excessive regulation on environmental protection.

As part of their protests, farmers there have partly blocked access to Toulouse airport in southwestern France and also motorways near Paris.

The French protests follow similar action in other European countries, including Germany and Poland.

The IFA said that tomorrow’s demonstrations, which are expected to begin at around 7pm, will consist of farmers and their machinery taking action on public roads.

However it is not clear if they will block roads or how long the demonstrations will last.

They follow an event in Kilmacthomas, Co Waterford on Tuesday evening where local IFA members expressed solidarity with European farmers when they brought 25 brightly lit up tractors to a flyover on the N25 Waterford to Cork road.

Tomorrow’s protest will be led by IFA President Francie Gorman, who says that Irish farmers are every bit as frustrated as their counterparts in Europe.

Additional reporting Reuters