This article is from page 15 of the 2006-11-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 15 JPG
NORTH-WEST Area MEP Seán Ó Neachtain (FF) has called for agriculture to be removed from the remit of World Trade Organisation (WTO) following a meeting with Clare farmers in Ennis on Friday.
The meeting, which was hosted by the Clare branch of the IFA, was attended by Mr Ó Neachtain and his North West Area colleagues, Marian Harkin (Ind) and Jim Higgins (FG), as well as top-level officials from the IFA including the organisation’s top economist, Clareman Con Lucey.
“I believe that the World Trade Organisation is now the main threat to farming in general, but especially to the smaller farmers like you have in Clare,” said Mr Ó Neachtain.
“If the rate of tariff is dropped, there will be a substantial increase in beef coming in from the likes of Brazil and Argentina. Personally, I believe that agriculture should not form part of the overall WTO agreement because it is such a regional issue.”
Clare IFA president, Seamus Murphy, welcomed the proposal but commented that it would difficult to be brought about.
“If it was guaranteed that farmers would get a fair shout, then I think that it could be a good thing,” said Mr Murphy.
“Agriculture is used as a bargaining chip by developed countries when dealing with third-world nations in order to get their goods into the country. It would be good if agriculture could be taken on its own but I can’t see it happening.”
This is the fist time that the three MEPs representing Clare have met with the county’s farmers since the redrawing of the electoral boundaries ahead of the 2004 EU election.
MEP Ó Neachtain also painted a bleak future for the future of farmers with smaller holdings but added that the North Western Area MEPs put on a united front on farming issues in Europe and that Clare had “nothing to fear” following its grouping with Connaught and Ulster.
“Farming will not be sustainable for small units like those in many parts of Clare and there will have to be more developments in off-farm activities,” continued Mr Ó Neachtain.
“We present a united front for all the people of the western region and support each other.”