Ireland's Future is demanding a “level playing field” for all sectors of Irish agriculture.
Founder of the organisation, Gerry Loftus, told attendees at a meeting in Co. Mayo last Friday (November 29th), that the recently established group will be “different”.
"We, in the west, and indeed across rural Ireland, are not being represented, either politically, agriculturally, socially or otherwise.”
“We need much broader representation than just agriculture if rural Ireland is going to survive,” Loftus stressed.
“We will no longer tolerate a dairy takeover of rural Ireland to make money for corporations,” he told attendees.
Forestry and suckler cow herd
A proposal by the top table to launch a campaign in total opposition to a proposal by the Climate Change Advisory Council to reduce the suckler herd by 560,000 cows and plant 20,000-acres of forestry from 2020 to 2030, was "unanimously endorsed", as well as a demand for legislation to be brought forward to ban the planting of Sitka spruce.
“This must be done before the next election. A vote for Fianna Fáil or Fine Gael means a vote to wipe out of rural Ireland.”
The Government, Loftus outlined, will be notified of the organisation’s requests this coming week.
“I would also like to make the Government aware that should they ignore our requests, they will come to realise that this organisation is not a talking shop.”
“We are prepared to take radical action like blockades of our cities, ports and distribution centres. We have been too quiet for too long,” he added.
Healthcare
In addition to its call for radical change within the agricultural sector, it is Ireland’s Future’s intention to launch a campaign shortly to demand a "complete reconstruction" of the health service.
“Our health service is a shambles and there seems to be nobody in charge of what’s going on.”
“It’s not good enough - the people of this country must stand up for the sick and demand change,” Loftus concluded.
Image source: Ireland's Future
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