Farmers to protest outside EU agriculture ministers’ meeting

Farmers are planning to protest at Dublin Castle on Tuesday where the EU’s agriculture ministers are holding an informal farm council meeting.

The meeting has been organised by the Irish EU presidency and Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney will be using it to make progress on the negotiations on the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy. There are still some key differences between the agriculture ministers, the European Parliament and the European Commission on the reforms and Mr Coveney will be aiming to secure agreement between the three groups before the Irish presidency ends next month.

Yesterday the Irish Farmers Association lobbied TDs and Senators on the reforms and urged Mr Coveney to "stand his ground" and retain the flexibilities won at the March meeting of agriculture ministers.

"Any backtracking on this will be a watershed moment for his credibility," IFA president John Bryan said.

The farm organisation is opposing the introduction of a minimum payment, saying it would result in major cuts for productive farmers.