Donegal Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

A final slap in the face for our farmers. - Cora Harvey.

Published: 14 July, 2009

A final slap in the face for our farmers - Harvey.

Sinn Fein County Councillor has slammed the Governments decision to withdraw the REPS payment from our farmers.

Cllr Harvey states:

"Over the past year, we have lobbied, protested, shouted and scandalised the Government for the cuts in Health, Education and Social Welfare but this takes the biscuit.

Our farmers have been quiet when you consider the cuts and set backs that this sector has had to endure over the past number of years and more specifically over this past year. It really is a crying shame of what this Fianna Fail/Green Government are doing to the Agriculture sector.

I have had many a phone call over the past week from families who are highly dependent on the REPS payment and there is sheer desperation out there. Farming families are already struggling with the deferment of payments under the Farm Waste Management Scheme and cuts such as those to the Disadvantage Area Scheme. The Government must reverse this decision immediately.

I call on the wider public to support our local farmers and stand shoulder to shoulder with them. The REPS payment is a necessity and many of our small local families will simply not be able to sustain their farming practices without it.

Sinn Fein is calling for the immediate reversal of this decision