The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Lobbying Organisation The Irish Farmers' Association - IFA

Date published 18 May, 2024

Relevant Matter Public policy or programme

Public Policy Area Agriculture

Period 1 Jan, 2024 to 30 Apr, 2024

Specific Details Cork County Council - Enough is Enough Campaign

Intended results To voice anger and frustration at the ever-increasing administrative burden being placed on them which has had a major impact on farm family incomes. 1. The transformation of CAP away from supporting food production towards actually reducing farm output. CAP funding is being redirected to environmental schemes – the EU is effectively implementing new environmental regulations such as the “eco-schemes” on the cheap by redirecting existing funding instead of allocating additional funds. 2. The failure of the EU to properly compensate farmers under CAP. In 2014, Ireland received €1.16bn in Pillar one funding from EU – that figure is effectively the same today, 10 years on, despite huge inflation in farmers' cost of production in the interim. Farmers are being asked to do much more to receive a lot less funds in real terms. 3. The proposed Mercusor trade deal being pushed by the European Commission has the capacity to devastate, in particular, the Irish beef sector. Europe is placing a massive amount of additional regulations on European farmers but, at the same time, is seeking to increase food imports from South America produced under much lower environmental rules with a higher carbon footprint. 4. Overly complicated schemes which have been poorly implemented by the Irish Department of Agriculture. This has contributed to widespread delays in payments, most notably the ACRES scheme. Following a meeting between the Minister and IFA President Francie Gorman last week on foot of the Feb 1st protests, the Minister agreed to make an interim payment to all farmers. However, this will only partly resolve the payments mess created by his own department. In addition, there are farmers still waiting to get into the scheme. 5. There has also been a complete systems failure on farm investment grant aid (TAMS) scheme. No approvals of note were granted under the scheme in 2023. 6. Farm schemes are now so complicated that agri consultants are threatening strike action as the feel they can no longer administrate these schemes designed by the Department of Agriculture effectively. 7. Reductions to the Nitrates derogation from 250kg organic N to 220kg organic N imposed by the European Commission with absolutely no flexibility offered. Furthermore, the Commission continue to threaten to remove it altogether in 2026. 8. The Nature Restoration Law which places further restrictions on farmers, particularly on designated lands with no compensation. 9. The Industrial Emissions Directive and the Commission's farcical handling of it. Their initial proposals would have seen c. 50% of Irish dairy farmers requiring an EPA license just to farm. The current revised proposal excludes bovines but will still see a huge amount of additional pig and poultry farmers now requiring an EPA license. The Commission's approach to classify farms under an “industrial” directive encapsulates their current lack of regard for farming. 10. The lack of flexibility being shown to tillage farmers within new regulations. No flexibility currently being offered to farmers who are struggling to meet the stipulated “3-crop rule” due to very difficult autumn weather conditions which massively limited autumn plantings. 11. Agricultural emissions which are not being measured fairly. There must be an accurate measurement of greenhouse gas emissions and carbon removals at farm level. It is imperative that any measurement of emissions and removals is based on research that reflects Irish conditions. On-farm sequestration and biogenic methane from livestock, along with emissions and removals from Ireland's unique mineral and peat soils, must be based on peer reviewed trials in Ireland. On-farm measures such as anaerobic digestion and rooftop solar should count towards reducing emissions from the agricultural sector. 12. The shambolic management of Ireland's forestry policy which has led to farmers losing complete confidence in the forestry sector compounded by the refusal of DAFM to provide appropriate recompense for farmers impacted by Ash Dieback. The total amount of land planted for forestry in 2023 was 1,650ha, corresponding to the lowest annual planting rate since 1946. To ask Cork County Council to do it's utmost to highlight the issues raised and seek a fundamental reset of how farm policy is devised and implemented both at the EU and in Ireland. To ask that Cork County Council approve the following resolution Cork County Council resolves to write to the President of the EU Commission, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Agriculture advising them that the Council has passed the following resolution. Cork County Council supports the IFA ‘enough is enough' campaign. The Council recognises the significant contribution that farming, and the Agri-sector makes to the Irish and local economy. The Council acknowledges the income challenge on Irish farmers arising from the significant increases in the cost of doing business, regulatory costs and cuts in Basic Income support for farmers. The Council calls on the Government to introduce no further regulations on farmers or any measures that may increase costs on farms without full negotiation and agreement with the Irish Farmers Association (IFA). The Council calls on the European Union and the Irish Government to provide additional stand-alone funding, separate to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), to support farmers to undertake climate and biodiversity measures.

Name of person primarily responsible for lobbying on this activity Conor O'Leary IFA Munster Regional Chair, Mathew Hurley IFA Cork Central Chair, Pat O'Keeffe IFA IFA Cork North Chair, Tadhg Healy IFA Cork West Chair

Did any Designated Public Official(DPO) or former Designated Public Official(DPO) carry out lobbying activities on your behalf in relation to this return? You must include yourself, and answer Yes, if you are a current DPO or a DPO at any time in the past. (What is a Designated Public Official?) No

Did you manage or direct a grassroots campaign? No

Was this lobbying done on behalf of a client? No

Lobbying activity

The following activities occurred for this specific Subject Matter Area.

Meeting (1)

Social Media (6-10)

Email (1)

Informal communication (11-20)

Phone call (6-10)

Designated public officials lobbied

The following DPOs were lobbied during this return period on this specific Subject Matter Area. These DPOs were involved in at least one of the Lobbying Activities listed above, but not necessarily all of them. As returns are specific to a Subject Matter Area the above Lobbying Activities may be associated with multiple returns.

Alan Coleman Councillor (Cork County Council)

Alan O'Connor Councillor (Cork County Council)

Ann Marie Ahern Councillor (Cork County Council)

Annmarie Ahern Councillor (Cork County Council)

Anthony Barry Councillor (Cork County Council)

Audrey Buckley Councillor (Cork County Council)

Ben Dalton O'Sullivan Councillor (Cork County Council)

Bernard Moynihan Councillor (Cork County Council)

Caroline Cronin Councillor (Cork County Council)

Cathal Rasmussen Councillor (Cork County Council)

Danielle Twomey Councillor (Cork County Council)

Danny Collins Councillor (Cork County Council)

Declan Hurley Councillor (Cork County Council)

Deirdre Kelly Councillor (Cork County Council)

Deirdre O'Brien Councillor (Cork County Council)

Eileen Lynch Councillor (Cork County Council)

Frank O'Flynn Councillor (Cork County Council)

Frank Roche Councillor (Cork County Council)

Gearóid Murphy Councillor (Cork County Council)

Gerard Murphy Councillor (Cork County Council)

Gillian Coughlan Councillor (Cork County Council)

Gobnait Moynihan Councillor (Cork County Council)

Ian Doyle Councillor (Cork County Council)

Jack White Councillor (Cork County Council)

James Kennedy Councillor (Cork County Council)

Joe Carroll Councillor (Cork County Council)

John Healy Councillor (Cork County Council)

John O'Sullivan Councillor (Cork County Council)

John Paul O'Shea Councillor (Cork County Council)

Karen Coakley Councillor (Cork County Council)

Katie Murphy Councillor (Cork County Council)

Kay Dawson Councillor (Cork County Council)

Kevin Murphy Councillor (Cork County Council)

Liam Madden Councillor (Cork County Council)

Liam Quaide Councillor (Cork County Council)

Marcia D'Alton Councillor (Cork County Council)

Marie O'Sullivan Councillor (Cork County Council)

Martin Coughlan Councillor (Cork County Council)

Mary Linehan Foley Councillor (Cork County Council)

Michael Creed Councillor (Cork County Council)

Michael Hegarty Councillor (Cork County Council)

Michael Looney Councillor (Cork County Council)

Michael Murtagh Councillor (Cork County Council)

Noel Collins Councillor (Cork County Council)

Noel McCarthy Councillor (Cork County Council)

Pat Hayes Councillor (Cork County Council)

Patrick Gerard Murphy Councillor (Cork County Council)

Paul Hayes Councillor (Cork County Council)

Ross O'Connell Councillor (Cork County Council)

Seamus McGrath Councillor (Cork County Council)

Sean O'Connor Councillor (Cork County Council)

Sean O'Donovan Councillor (Cork County Council)

Sheila O'Callaghan Councillor (Cork County Council)

Sinéad Sheppard Councillor (Cork County Council)

Susan McCarthy Councillor (Cork County Council)

Ted Lucey Councillor (Cork County Council)

Tony O'Shea Councillor (Cork County Council)

William O'Leary Councillor (Cork County Council)