Tag Archives: Clare farming

SINN Féin will set out its stall as to what dairy farmers can expect from any future government involving the party, when its leader addresses ICMSA members in Limerick next week.  On December 5 at the Castletroy Park Hotel in Limerick, Deputy Mary Lou McDonald will become the first Sinn Féin leader to address a major farmer meeting and ICMSA officials say that her take on the future of Ireland’s biggest indigenous economic activity will be eagerly anticipated. The Agriculture Minister, Charlie McConalogue will be in attendance too to address farmers’ concerns over forthcoming regulatory changes for the sector.  Farmers, including the many from Clare who are likely to travel to the event, will also hear from Assistant Garda Commissioner, Paula Hillman. She will address the increasingly fraught issue of gangs of trespassing ‘hunters’ intimidating, threatening and even assaulting farmers in their own yards or fields. ICMSA has been to the forefront in demanding a much more effective and practical …

AGRICULTURE Minister Charlie McConalogue has been requested to address an anomaly that prevents Clare farmers with low-input permanent pasture to cut hay or silage if they are in GLAS. This request was made by Deputy Michael McNamara in the Dáil recently where he also asked when the minister met the EU agriculture ministers, did he call for a reduction in or the abolition of EU import tariffs on fertiliser? “Farmers with low-input permanent pasture cannot cut hay and silage if they are in GLAS. The Minister is trying to incentivise them to do so but they cannot. “Will they, on a temporary basis for this year or for as long as this fertiliser crisis lasts, be allowed to cut silage? “Likewise, traditional hay meadows can only be cut once because cutting can only take place after a certain deadline. “Will that deadline be brought forward to allow for a second cut this year? These are matters the Minister can deal …

Meetings with Oireachtas members highlight Clare farming issues ahead of Budget 2022, reports Dan Danaher CLARE farmers are being urged to lobby local Oireachtas members to tackle agricultural issues in the run up to the Budget. As part of a series of meetings with Oireachtas members, Clare IFA chairman, Tom Lane met Deputy Joe Carey, Deputy Violet Anne-Wynne, Deputy Cathal Crowe, Senator Timmy Dooley and Senator Martin Conway to discuss a number of key farming issues. While Oireachtas members were not in a position to give any firm commitments ahead of the Budget, they have pledged to raise IFA concerns with the relevant government ministers. Speaking to The Clare Champion, Mr Lane urged farmers to familiarise themselves with the IFA’s Pre-Budget Submission and CAP proposals, with a view to voicing concerns or making proposals for improvement in agricultural policies to their local Oireachtas member. He stressed farming is entering a critical period with a number of key issues to be …

Budget 2015 will aid Clare’s continuing economic recovery, according to local TD Pat Breen, who said it is very much focused on supporting job creation and growth and encouraging consumer confidence. “The retention of the 9% VAT rate for the tourism sector is particularly welcome. The introduction of this rate in 2011 has been credited with the creation of 547 jobs in Clare’s tourism industry since then and keeping the rate at this level is important to build on the growth, which tourism providers in the county have experienced this year,” he said. Deputy Breen  acknowledged Shannon Airport’s return to growth is also contributing to the Clare’s positive tourism figures. “Raising the threshold for the top rate of tax to almost €34,000 will help thousands of people to have a secure income, while cutting the top rate to 40% will help ease the burden on hard working families and boost consumer confidence and will help to maintain local businesses in …