Donegal TD accuses Government of being out of touch with rural Ireland

 

A Donegal Deputy says he supports abolishing the levy farmers pay to Bord Bia for cattle exported and brought to meat factories for slaughter.
Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Agriculture and Deputy Charlie McConalogue says beef farmers are at the pin of their collars with the downward spiral in beef prices and the severe hit on incomes they have taken over the past 12 months.
In a statement, Deputy McConalogue has accused the Government of also failing to address suckler incomes which averaged at a paltry €8,000 in 2018.
He believes that the delivery record to date has been suspect with a government that is losing touch with people in rural Ireland and their daily challenges.
In 2018, farmers paid close to €4 million in levies to Bord Bia for cattle exported or slaughtered.
Meanwhile, the exchequer contribution to the State Agency has been increased over the last three years to carve out new export markets, arising from Brexit.
Given this, and as signal of solidarity with beef farmers, Deputy McConalogue concluded by saying that he will be supporting the policy to abolish this levy farmer’s pay on cattle and put this forward as party policy in the upcoming general election campaign.